A man has paid a heartbreaking tribute to his twin who passed away after a short illness. Ian Taylor, 46, says his life will be spent missing his twin brother Dean after his passing on Sunday, March 12. He hopes to erect a memorial bench in his memory at the pair's favourite fishing spot as a lasting tribute to his twin.
Both born and raised in Wildmill, Bridgend, Ian said: "From a very early age Dean and I were inseparable, even though we fought we were always there for each other. Being a twin comes with a bond that is unshakeable." The pair attended Litchard School then moved onto Brynteg, before both choosing to study catering at Bridgend College. You can find more stories from Bridgend by subscribing to our weekly newsletter here.
"We grew up in Wildmill with our mum Jean, dad Mal, who we sadly lost to cancer last May, brother Lee and sister Sharon. I have great memories of holidays together, for many years we went camping as a family to Trevarrian Holiday Park in Cornwall. We made many lifelong friends there. Cornwall was a particular favourite of both myself and Dean, we visited frequently and always felt at home there," Ian explained. "Dean and I were inseparable, we worked together, we lived together, we fought together, we laughed together, we fished together we did everything together."
Dean worked as a chef alongside his brother for many years, then achieved his lorry licence and began working for many companies before settling with Hermes in Bridgend. Ian described his brother's love as fishing. He said: "Dean's real passion was fishing, any opportunity he got he would be out there. Any type of fishing, it didn't matter to Dean, [he was] truly a fish whisperer."
Being a twin, Ian says his life will never be the same without his brother and said he will remember him for his "great sense of humour, sharp as a razor and quick-witted with it, and dry as a stick". Ian added: "He was a hard worker, caring, sensitive, with a big heart and a spirit to match. A sensitive soul and a perfect example of not judging a book by its cover."
In a poignant tribute read by Ian to his brother, which you can see in the video above, he said: "He was a mountain of a man. He was a warrior. He was a king amongst men and I miss him so very dearly. No day that I face will ever be the same again without him. My purpose was to look after Dean as he looked after me and it's not something that is going to be easy to face without him."
Dean was hospitalised on February 20 due to a severe case of pneumonia, then later transferred to Morriston Hospital where, following complications due to an underlying heart condition, he passed away peacefully. Ian now hopes to erect a memorial bench "or something similar" at Dean's favourite fishing spot, as a place for quiet reflection. He said: "The rest of my life will be spent missing Dean, my heart forever broken by his loss." You can find Ian's fundraiser here.
