What can I tell you about Grant Kinnie … that he loved life, played the guitar beautifully and lived each moment to the full? These are things you already know about him, so I wish to share with you the Grant Kinnie that I knew. The first time I saw him, he was doing one of the things he did best… he was playing the guitar and singing at a charity gig. He sang Fast Car, Ain’t no Sunshine and Mardy bum amongst others and later on, we danced together and I fell over, landing at his feet. As Grant picked me up he joked: ‘It’s ok, no need to fall for me!’ but the truth is, I already had. I tried to play it cool with Grant at first, but it was no use, I was smitten and our first date took place on a beautiful summer night. We drank, we laughed and Grant cooked me a meal, chicken stir fry… another one of his hidden talents! There was always fun and laughter to be had wherever Grant was… on a weekend away we went to my favorite restaurant, and he even shared my favorite dessert with me, chocolate cheesecake. Truth be told, he didn’t like cheesecake, but how like Grant to pretend he did to make me happy! Later, I discovered that Grant had even kept the chocolate from the end of our meal, as a keepsake of the date. A little quirk I loved about him, was that he always insisted on choosing the wines whenever we went out for a meal. He did used to laugh because he was always scared he would choose a rubbish one… but the last weekend we shared together, Grant chose the best wine I had ever tasted… I will never ever forget it, and that perfect moment will be with me always. Grant was always singing and was surgically attached to his guitar! He would make up songs, beautiful songs, about me, about our time together, about everything he saw and felt… he was truly magical to be around, and there was always fun and laughter to be had wherever he went. He introduced me to new music and also to ‘imaginary ping pong’ which is a memory I will always cherish. There was an instant spark between us… it was electrifying and regularly we used to discuss how lucky we were to have found each other… we mapped out our future together and Grant was convinced that within a year we would be engaged… I too thought this perfect moment would come. As well as our future, Grant and I discussed his emotions, his inner feelings, and how smitten he was with his little family. He was also so excited by his mom, and Erin, and what each was doing with their lives. He regularly talked about his love for his family, and this filled me with warmth and a true feeling of security that you only get with being truly loved by someone as special as Grant. Grant was a true romantic. Once he discovered my love for chocolate, he would bring me chocolate into work every single day. First time, it was a Wispa bar, then once he found out my favorite he would appear with a picnic bar a gift from my angel. As some of you may know, I only live about 12 meters away from my place of work, yet Grant insisted on walking me to my door the night after I had had a scare after locking up the hotel. He waited for me on the car park to make sure I was ok… the nicest and most gentlemanly thing that anyone has ever done for me. Grant used to frequently tell me that he loved and needed me… he asked why I was always hesitant about telling him the same thing. I replied that I was scared, and that if I told him just how I felt, he would leave me. HE reassured me that he was with me through thick and thin, and that no matter what the world threw our way, we would deal with it together. So on our last night together, the night before the accident, I opened up my heart and soul to Grant Kinnie. I told him everything, that I needed him and would always be his… the next day, he was taken away from me and I was left desolate. Grant died a hero and it warms my heart and makes me so proud to think of him giving his life for others. He wouldn’t have had it any other way. Sent from heaven, Grant, my angel with his golden halo of hair, has now returned, and I cherish every moment that I spent with him. Grant… I’m glad you let me into your life to share your world, even for just a short while. I love you my angel and always will… sleep tight.