A mother has paid tribute to her nine-year-old son who died after telling others he wished to be reunited with his late father. Emma Knight’s son Mckenzie Leon Gary Williamson was found unresponsive in his grandmother's home at Powell Street in Abertillery, Blaenau Gwent, on the evening of November 7, 2021, months after dad Gary had died.
Mckenzie later died at the University Hospital Wales in Cardiff on November 10 despite the best efforts of his grandmother, a neighbour, and emergency service workers to save him. Paying tribute to him following an inquest held last week, mum Emma Knight said on Tuesday: “Mammy’s little star. A life taken way too soon, ‘Kenzie was a bright boy who had his whole future ahead of him.
“He loved going out and talking or meeting new people and adored going to football. He has left a massive hole in our hearts that will never be filled. Nothing can bring him back now, if only people helped faster my boy would still be here today living the whole life he had ahead of him.
“Words can’t describe how much he is missed by me and the whole family. Now take your big heart and blooming smile and light up heaven, handsome. Rest in paradise, until we meet again baby. I love you.”
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At an inquest into Mckenzie’s death at Newport Coroners’ Court on Friday grandmother June Knight called Mckenzie a “lovely and cheeky little boy”. She said it was as he grew older that the football-loving boy who played as goalkeeper for Abertillery Excelsiors AFC began to show some behavioural problems which were worsened by his father's passing in the summer before Mckenzie died.
His grandmother added that life had become so challenging for Mckenzie that he was moved out of "traditional" school for four days a week and instead attended The River Centre learning community in Tredegar. Staff at the school knew of an incident where Mckenzie had attempted to harm himself.
A family friend shared how Mckenzie had "casually" told her he had tried to take his life when she asked how he was in Abertillery town centre in October 2021. A social worker looking after Mckenzie reported that on October 13, 2021, Mckenzie had expressed a desire to take his life. She recalled him saying: "I just want to be with my dad – I just feel like that."
On the day of his death Mckenzie had played football with friends from the morning until 6pm and then played games on his phone while ringing his mother. The inquest repeatedly heard how it had been a very unremarkable day when Mckenzie had played very well in goal for his team and seemed to have enjoyed his day.
Assistant coroner for Gwent Sarah Le Fevre said the case had been "intolerably sad". "He was a loving boy loved by his mother and family and friends and with the encouragement of others had been developing hobbies and interests," she said. "But he had troubles and challenges growing up which were not limited to his father’s death. It leaves me to only echo my sincerest condolences to the family." She recorded a formal conclusion of misadventure adding that she could not be sure that Mckenzie recognised the permanence of his final actions.
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