Memorial for Oakdale teenager

A memorial to a teenager who died suddenly last year is to be unveiled on the weekend.

Jack Thomas, from Oakdale, was just 15 when he passed away in February 2012. Friends, families and businesses have joined together to help pay for the memorial in Oakdale Village Square.

Friends raised money to fund through two memorial nights, which gave his friends who were musicians and singers a chance to honour him. There was also a ladies’ night at Blackwood RFC which raised additional funds.

Last weekend Jack’s friends helped to dig with the installation of the memorial – which takes the form of a bronze star with granite surround and a bronze ring. It has the inscription of “In honour of our special friend, An inspiration to us all” and one of Jack’s well known phrases: “Life ain’t a dress rehearsal, make it count”.

The memorial will be officially unveiled on Saturday June 8 at 11am. During the unveil, Tracey Jones, from Caerphilly County Borough Council’s Private Sector Housing Team, will also hand over a cheque for £1,176.50 to Jack’s mother June Thomas, who also works for the Council’s Housing Division.

The money, which Tracey raised through sponsorship when she ran the London Marathon in April, will be donated to Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) in memory of Jack.

The charity aims to work with cardiologists and family doctors to promote and protect the cardiac health of our young by establishing good practice and screening facilities devoted to significantly reduce the frequency of young sudden cardiac death throughout the UK.

Cllr Ken James, Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Planning and Sustainable Development, said: “Everyone in the authority was so saddened by the sudden death of Jack last year. This memorial in his home town of Oakdale is a fitting tribute to a young man who was sadly taken from his family and friends too early and will honour his memory for years to come.”

The 1.7m diameter memorial has been designed by Welsh artist Rubin Eynon and has been installed with thanks to the support and sponsorship of a number of companies. Marshalls Plc kindly donated the granite stone materials; Cross WaterJet Swansea offered their services in cutting the stone to shape and Alun Griffiths Contractors Ltd installed the memorial with help from Jack’s friends.

At the inquest, Gwent coroner’s court was told that Jack, who had represented Wales at taekwondo, was not injured and that his heart and arteries were normal. Coroner David Bowen ruled the teenager had died of natural causes but said the specific cause could not be identified.

A number of local and national businesses have joined together to put together a memorial in Oakdale Village Square to honour Jack Thomas, who passed away suddenly last year at the age of 15.