'I was privileged to call him my son' - Mother of fatal crash teen speaks after inquest into deaths
The mother of a Shrewsbury boy who was tragically killed in a car crash with his friends whilst heading for a camping trip in North Wales described her son as a "beautiful person" after the inquest into their deaths.
Hugo Oliver Morris, aged 18, Jevon Alexander Hirst, 16, Harvey Graham Owen, 17, and Wilfred John Fitchett, also 17, went missing on November 19 last year after driving to North Wales.
A major search operation took place but, sadly, the boys were found dead in Llanfrothen on November 21.
An inquest into their deaths in Caernarfon on Wednesday heard that the boys had gone to stay the night at Jevon's grandfather's house and then planned on doing some walking and camping.
Harvey's mother, Crystal Owen, read a prepared statement about her son outside the coroner's court after the inquest.
Hugo Oliver Morris, aged 18, Jevon Alexander Hirst, 16, Harvey Graham Owen, 17, and Wilfred John Fitchett, also 17, went missing on November 19 last year after driving to North Wales.
A major search operation took place but, sadly, the boys were found dead in Llanfrothen on November 21.
An inquest into their deaths in Caernarfon on Wednesday heard that the boys had gone to stay the night at Jevon's grandfather's house and then planned on doing some walking and camping.
Harvey's mother, Crystal Owen, read a prepared statement about her son outside the coroner's court after the inquest.
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00:00Something you never expect to do as a parent is sum up your child's life in a statement and ingress into their depth.
00:07I do not believe there are words that exist to explain how much of a beautiful person he was and the indescribable look we had for him, but I will try my best.
00:17Harvey was perfect from the minute he came into this world and continued to be so until he was tragically taken from us.
00:26A much longed for son and little brother to his sister Yasmin who he had an inseparable bond with.
00:31Harvey later went on to become a big brother to his little sisters, Sophia and Olivia, who idolised him and miss him dearly.
00:40They cannot make sense of what has happened as we cannot either.
00:44Harvey had the biggest, warmest smile that radiated love and calmness and a contagious positive energy.
00:51He saw the best in everyone, caring, loving and empathetic.
00:56He always had a soft spot for people who he knew were struggling to fit in or felt they were having a bad time.
01:02A couple of quotes from Harvey's friends sum him up perfectly.
01:06I knew all the boys in school, but Harvey was the only one to give me the time of day.
01:11Another said, basically I was a nerd in school without many friends, but Harvey stuck with me.
01:18Charismatic, cheeky, laid back and carefree.
01:22Harvey never took life too seriously. He never let anything get him down.
01:30In his diary he had recently written, he appreciated everything in his life and was looking forward to the summer and spending more time with his family and friends.
01:38He had everything to live for and a very promising future ahead of him.
01:43Harvey was a trendsetter. He was a unique, quirky old soul.
01:47He was wise beyond his years. As his sister Yasmin said, he was iconic.
01:53He was my little brother, but I looked up to him.
01:58Harvey had many interests and hobbies over the years, many of which caused me to be a nervous wreck such as his skateboarding, BMX tricks and snowboarding.
02:06So I was more than relieved when he hung up his skateboard for his guitar.
02:10Anything Harvey was passionate about at that time he gave it his all and would practice for hours on end to perfect his skills.
02:17Alongside his studies at college, Harvey was thriving in his chefing job at a local pizzeria.
02:23Harvey had always enjoyed cooking and was recently talking about one day opening his own Italian themed cafe,
02:29selling his homemade breads or one day when he would learn to drive of getting a pizza van to take to festivals to sell his homemade pizzas.
02:40Harvey was flourishing in his life. He was finding out who he was.
02:44Harvey had become more confident in recent months. He was someone I was incredibly privileged to call my son.
02:50Anyone who knew him would tell me what a lovely, polite and young man he was.
02:55It would fill me with pride as I knew how true it was.
02:58Even through the teenage years he had such a laid back, lovable personality.
03:02It was impossible to ever stay mad at him for long.
03:06Last November, every parent's worst nightmare came true and we are now living every parent's worst reality.
03:14Not only did we lose Harvey in the most tragic of ways and have the shock and trauma to deal with,
03:20we had to face a lifetime of grieving for the life we should be living,
03:24the time we should have had with him and the memories we should be creating.
03:29The joy has gone from our lives and there is a void that can never be filled.
03:35I loved my son unconditionally for 17 years.
03:40I watched him grow, I held him, dried his tears and healed his scrapes.
03:46I tried to protect him in every way possible.