"All he wanted to do from when he was a little boy was be in the Army. He wanted to live life and enjoy himself. His family meant everything to him."
Penned through tears of unimaginable grief, they were the first words from the family of Lee Rigby as the terrible details of a murder in broad daylight unrivalled in its violence slowly started to sink in across Greater Manchester and the nation.
Lee was one of our own. A Langley lad from Middleton.
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Cut down in the prime of his life with the world - and fatherhood - ahead of him by the evil of terrorism, 'Riggers' was a proud soldier - and an even prouder new dad.
He'd survived the toll of Afghanistan's Helmand province only to lose his life in unthinkable circumstances in May 2013 as he walked quietly along a street in Woolwich, south east London, while off-duty just 200 yards from an Army barracks.
Ten years on from his murder today, the 25-year-old will be remembered in the thoughts and prayers of those at home and by his former comrades serving abroad. Lee's son, Jack, was just two years-old at the time, but loved his daddy.
At the funeral - which brought the centre of Bury to a near standstill as mourners and soldiers lined the streets to witness then Prime Minister David Cameron attend - little Jack clutched a teddy bear and with his mum, Rebecca, wore a blue T-shirt with the words 'My Daddy, My Hero' written on the back.
Now aged 12, Jack spoke out for the first time last week ahead of the anniversary of his dad's death. He's walking and running the distance of a marathon over the course of a month to raise funds for a charity supporting bereaved military children and young people, with a £10,000 target. "I want to raise £1,000 for every year my dad has been gone," he said.
"It also helps distract me from everything. Going on a long walk is a nice break and reminds me it's not all bad."
It's clear the strength and determination of a father to do good and help others lives on in the son.
Former Queen Elizabeth School pupil Lee - 'Riggers' to his pals in the forces - was born in July 1987 in Crumpsall and joined the Army in 2006.
He completed his infantry training course at Catterick and was selected to be a member of the Corps of Drums and posted to 2nd Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers - which was controversially merged into the regiment's first battalion in the years following his death.
Lee's first posting was as a machine gunner in Cyprus, where the battalion was serving as the resident infantry battalion in Dhekelia. He returned to the UK in the early part of 2008 to Hounslow, west London, and was considered an integral member of the Corps of Drums throughout the battalion's time on public duties, a highlight being part of the Household Division's Beating the Retreat.
In April 2009, Lee was deployed on operations for the first time to Helmand province, Afghanistan, where he served as a member of the Fire Support Group in Patrol Base Woqab. In 2011, he took up a recruiting post in London, where he also assisted with duties at Regimental Headquarters in the Tower of London.
The barbaric murder - at the hands of Islamist terrorists Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale - was carried out in front of horrified passers-by yards from the historical home of the Royal Artillery.
Lee, who was wearing civilian clothing at the time, was working in a recruitment capacity for the regiment and preparing to enter the barracks when his killers struck, using a car to mow him down then knifes and meat cleavers to attack him.
Shouting 'Allahu Akhbar' - God is great - the pair charged at police as officers arrived, but were shot at the scene and detained, going on to stand trial and be jailed. Adebolajo was given a whole-life term and Adebowale was jailed for a minimum of 45 years.
The tributes were quick to come, with Lee's commanding officer describing him as a 'dedicated and professional soldier' and 'a real character'. "An experienced and talented side drummer and machine gunner, he was a true warrior and served with distinction in Afghanistan, Germany and Cyprus," said Lieutenant Colonel Jim Taylor MBE.
A regimental sergeant major who served with Lee added: "Riggers is what every battalion needs. He was one of the battalion's great characters, always smiling and always ready to brighten the mood."
His family's harrowing first statement, as the shock started to dawn, continued: "Lee was lovely. He would do anything for anybody, he always looked after his sisters and always protected them. He took a 'big brother' role with everyone. He was a loving son, husband, father, brother, and uncle, and a friend to many."
More than 230 miles away from Woolwich, in Lee's Langley home, the tight-knit estate and wider Middleton community rallied round to support a family in unthinkable turmoil. The then Bishop of Middleton offered up prayers as community centres hosted vigils and small services of commemoration.
The vicar of the local church on Langley went to visit Lee's mum Lyn and step-dad, Ian, vowing to do all he could to support them. Yet the fact that it was Lee who was the victim all those miles away took a long time to sink in.
"I think the feeling in the community has been shock and paralysis," said the Rev Philip Miller, of All Saints and Martyrs Church in Langley, who hosted drop-in surgeries in the weeks following the murder. "People are horrified that Lee is the man who suffered this terrible death. They are such a lovely family, lovely people and in a way this makes it even sadder.
"Lee had all his life ahead of him and so much to live for. He always wanted to be in the Army and he has been faithful to that calling. This good lad was true and faithful to what he was called to do."
In Bury, the spiritual home of the Lancashire Fusiliers, the council announced its flag would fly at half-mast in tribute as books of condolence opened across Greater Manchester.
Lee's wife Rebecca and the wider family including mum Lyn and step-father Ian bravely went on to speak out in unison at a press conference in Bury. Mr Rigby said: "When in Afghanistan, you come to terms with it, you know it's dangerous. You don't expect something like that on your doorstep. It's very difficult.
"As soon as it was on the telly we were attempting to get hold of Lee, obviously we couldn't and it was the middle of the night probably when we got confirmation it was Lee. We would like to say goodnight Lee, rest in peace our fallen soldier, we love you loads and words cannot describe how loved and sadly missed you will be.
"Our hearts have been ripped apart from us, everyone is struggling to cope with this tragedy."
The family went on to travel to London to visit the murder scene as Lee's killers remained in police custody - mum Lyn clutching a regimental teddy bear wearing the famous hackle of the Fusiliers.
Red roses were strewn across the roads and barriers put up surrounding Bury Parish Church for Lee's funeral with full military honours. His family were among 800 mourners packed inside the town centre church; the funeral service was relayed to huge crowds gathered outside via loudspeakers.
Lighter notes referenced Lee's love of the band Westlife and Manchester United, but mourners were also told he took part in 'numerous firefights' in Afghanistan and 'regularly had to patrol across ground strewn with improvised explosive devices'.
"His courage was tested every day. He was not found wanting," said one of his commanding officers.
Fusilier Rigby's coffin, draped in the Union flag and with his bearskin hat on top, was borne out of the church by six pall bearers in ceremonial scarlet tunics and placed in the hearse for his final journey.
The subsequent criminal trial of Adebolajo and Adebowale was shown 'barbarous' footage of the murder - with both men, one a father-of-six, claiming in court to be 'soldiers' themselves. They were both found guilty of murder but were hauled out of court after shouting abuse at the sentencing judge, who proceeded to jail them in their absence.
"Your sickening and pitiless conduct was in stark contrast to the compassion and bravery shown by the various women at the scene who tended to Lee Rigby's body and challenged what you had done and said," said Mr Justice Sweeney at the Old Bailey.
He said that the murder also betrayed 'the peaceful Muslim communities who give so much to our country', and that the men had carried out the killing to show 'your extremist views, to murder a soldier in public in broad daylight and to do so in a way that would generate maximum media coverage including getting yourselves killed by armed officers who were bound to arrive at the scene'.
Lee's family, calmly and thoughtfully, spoke out briefly to welcome the sentences but, moreover, thank the people of Middleton for their unwavering support in the face of such tragedy, saying they had been hugely comforted.
Today the Lee Rigby Foundation exists to provide a support network for bereaved military families as, once again, the young Langley soldier's name is used as a force for good. Ahead of today's 10-year anniversary, Lee's mum Lyn spoke out to tell of her 'decade of heartbreak', saying she only found the courage to go on because of the love of her husband and four daughters.
"The pain is there every day, so much so that it becomes a part of you," she said.
"Every day I lived in fear of him being killed in battle and when he returned home, it was a huge relief. Yet here he was in London, supposedly safe, and this is where it turns out he was at most danger.
"But what tears me apart is to think that people have forgotten him 10 years on. It's my job to make sure people remember him – not just as the murdered soldier from the TV but as a loving son, dad and brother."
The traditions of his regiment - and the compassion of his family and community - mean, of course, that Lee Rigby will never be forgotten.
For as the regiment's soldiers past and present say: Once a Fusilier, always a Fusilier.
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