A mum has paid heartbreaking tribute to her nine-year-old son who tragically died after saying he wanted to be reunited with his late father again.
Emma Knight found her son Mckenzie Leon Gary Williamson unresponsive in his grandmother’s home, Blaenau Gwent, south Wales on the evening of November 7, 2021.
This happened months after Mckenzie’s dad Gary had passed and Mckenzie sadly died three days later at hospital, Wales Online reports.
A month before his death, a social worker looking after Mckenzie said he had expressed a desire to take his own life and said: "I just want to be with my dad – I just feel like that."
Paying tribute at an inquest held last week, mum Emma described Mckenzie as “mammy’s little star” and said he was a “life taken way too soon.”
She continued: “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.”
The inquest into Mckenzie’s death at Newport Coroners’ Court also heard from Mckenzie’s grandmother, June Knight, who called him a “lovely and cheeky little boy”.
She said it was as he grew older that the football-loving boy 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.
She added: "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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