'You made a grown man smile again': Black Country motorcyclist and card collection organiser leaves heartbreaking tribute to Amelia
One of the main organisers behind the record card collection for a special youngster's birthday has spoken of his heartbreak at her death.
Matt Lemm organised the collecting and delivering of more than 60,000 birthday cards from across the world for Amelia Kolpa as part of her attempt to break a record for the number of birthday cards delivered for her eighth birthday, with more than 300,000 cards received.
Mr Lemm, who is a member of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club, led hundreds of bikers at the start of February on a ride to Amelia's home in Rowley Regis and had become friends with the youngster while she battled Neuroblastoma.
Following news of her death on Tuesday, the owner of Lockside Steakhouse in Stourbridge posted an emotional message on the restaurant's Facebook page to talk about Amelia and his memories of her.
He said he had been one of the last people, apart from her parents, to see her before she died and spoke about how she had changed his life and how they now shared a date, with March 17 also being his birthday.
He said: "I went today at 3.30pm and stayed there for an hour and she died about 30 minutes later, so with it being my birthday, it's a little bittersweet because, obviously, nobody wanted her to pass away, but we all knew the pain that little girl was in.
"I told her a few weeks ago when I was going on holiday that she should wait for me, which was just a passing comment, and she said she would and she did and she waited for me to get back on my birthday and now we share an anniversary.
"You tell me that we haven't got a connection and that it wasn't fate that she came into my life."
Mr Lemm said that before he met Amelia, he had been dealing with some personal issues and said that getting to know Amelia helped to glue together his broken heart.
He said: "The connection and the bond that that little girl and I had was so unmatched and I had a new best friend and she came along at the right time and it was like she was sent from somewhere and she mended me.
"I'm not broken again and while I'm broken hearted that she's gone, she's out of pain and she waited for me, so rest in peace Amelia, you made a grown man smile again.
"The fact we have an anniversary is good enough for me and I've never forget you."
Another group who collected many of the cards for Amelia were Party Angels in Wolverhampton, who said they were too upset to comment, but sent best wishes and condolences to the family.
