Ryan Passey murder: We’re heartbroken at losing our loving lad
"He was such a loving lad. A friend to everyone, he was kind-hearted, popular and always doing the best for his family."
These are the heartbreaking words of Ryan Passey's devastated father, Adrian 'Ada' Passey, speaking from the family home in Brierley Hill yesterday.
Surrounded by family and friends, Mr Passey spoke of his love and admiration for his only child who was a keen football fanatic - having played for various teams since his youth.
He explained: "He was a loving lad and loved his football. He lived for that. He played for Stourbridge Athletic on a Sunday and Wren's Nest on a Saturday.
"No one had a bad word to say about him. He was a friend to everyone. He was just a kind-hearted, popular lad who was always doing his best for his family and loved being around us.
"His friends were important to him too, he was inseparable from his best mate Jordan Poole - they had grown up together and liked to go out.
"He never caused us any trouble and was never in trouble with the police or anything like that. He was just a great lad and now we are at a loss without him."
In the midst of grief, Mr Passey was joined with Ryan's girlfriend Paige Marsh-Roberts.
Holding a picture of them during happier times, the 19-year-old spoke of Ryan being a loving and caring boyfriend.
She said: "We had been together for around a year and a half. He was amazing. We had grown up together around the area and always knew each other's families.
"He could always make me laugh. We used to drive to the cinema and get nachos and cheese and drive back and eat it in bed. It was special moments like that.
"He comes from a big family and we are all really close. Family parties would be great and always a highlight."
His grandparents, Maggie and Jim McNally, were also present. They fondly spoke of picking up Ryan from school when he was younger and the last time he visited them.
Mrs McNally said: "We could not have wished for a better grandson. He was a model child. He would often come around and see us and pop in.
"He only came last week and sat on the sofa and gave us a bit of love. Thank God that I got that one last chance to see him then now.
"I used to look after him and his friend Jordan when he they were little and fetch them from school. I spent a lot of time with him growing up and he was a sensible lad, very caring and kind and always doing the best for his family.
"You just don't imagine something like this happening."
Jilly and Phil Taylor, Ryan's mother and step-father, also spoke of their heartbreak.
The couple added: "Incredibly loving, kind and caring. We are devastated. How do you accept something like this?
"He grew up loving his football, that was really important to him.
"He was such a hard-working lad and had his own window cleaning business, which he was doing brilliantly with.
"He enjoyed being with his friends and going out with them. Jordan, his best friend, was like a brother to him and then he had his lovely girlfriend Paige as well."
Ryan was the only child of Ada and Jilly, but he had a step-sister Chelsea.
Mrs Taylor said Ryan loved spending time with Chelsea and her two children, Jayden and Tommy.
She added: "He was brilliant with kids, they absolutely loved him. This has just been incredibly heart-breaking to everyone."
