Tributes paid as funeral held for Halesowen man, 21, who went missing in the Netherlands
The funeral took place at Rowley Regis Crematorium on Friday (July 24).
The family of a 21-year-old man who went missing whilst attending a TwitchCon event in the Netherlands have paid tribute to their ‘unforgettable’ son.
Bradley Passey, from Halesowen, disappeared whilst attending the event in Rotterdam.
He was due to fly home on June 1, but missed his flight. Sadly, a few days later, his body was discovered by the Dutch authorities.
His heartbroken family paid their last respects at his funeral in Rowley Regis.
At just 21-years-old, Bradley had already built a reputation as a fiercely loyal friend, a proud Army Cadet and a larger-than-life personality who brought laughter and energy wherever he went.
He loved rave music, cherished time with those closest to him and lived life to the fullest.
When he travelled to Rotterdam for TwitchCon, nobody could have imagined it would be the last time many would see him.
His family called him ‘unforgettable’, his friends called him many nicknames from the ironic ‘Midget’ to ‘Lanky Wotsit’ due to his bright ginger hair and six foot five stature.
He touched the hearts of many and will live on through the memories of those who loved him.
Those who knew and loved Bradley have shared their memories of a young man whose impact far outweighed his years.
The funeral took place at Rowley Regis Crematorium on Friday (July 24).
People from across the country attended, including family members, school friends and fellow Army Cadets.
His sisters, Amy and Rebecca, gave a tribute, sharing memories they had of him before his closest friend, Callum Ellis did the same.
They said he was the life of the party and lit up every room he entered.
They talked about his friends and how he’d travel across Europe by himself to visit friends he’d made online.
The service ended with Kings of Leon's Sex on Fire, one of Bradley's favourite songs.
At the wake, his friends continued sharing memories they had of Bradley. Jade Johnson remembered going to an Arctic Monkeys concert.
Mike Evans remembered being at a theme park with Bradley and going on the Waltzers.
Caitlin remembered Bradley walking her to school before going to college himself, it meant going in the opposite direction.
Jaime, the mother of one of Bradley's friends, remembered meeting him when she was with her grandson.
She said she remembered how smitten Bradley was with her grandson’s bright blue eyes.
She said: “This big friendly giant was just absolutely melting over my grandson's eyes, it was beautiful to see.”
When asked what they would say to Bradley, almost everybody replied “party hard, rest easy.”
For Bradley’s birthday last month (June 24), his friends and family joined together at one of Bradley’s favourite places to go at the Saltwells Nature Reserve.
They wrote messages on orange balloons and released them. Those old enough took a shot of Fireball which was one of Bradley’s favourite things to drink.
Although Bradley's life was tragically cut short, those who knew him say his impact will never fade.
From childhood friends and Army Cadets to the online friends he travelled across Europe to meet, every story shared painted the same picture of a kind, fiercely loyal young man who lived with enthusiasm and made people feel valued.
As family and friends said their final goodbyes, one message echoed throughout the day: Bradley may have been gone far too soon, but he will never be forgotten.
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