MANY people will mourn the death of Dylan Arnold who passed away last Saturday, two days after his 35th birthday.

He was not a famous name, had never hit the headlines and didn’t make a fortune. But in Hereford he will always be remembered for his happy smiling face, his way of making friends and, most of all, for his tremendous courage.

Dylan, born in Hereford, always wanted to be a soldier and, after his schooldays at St Mary’s High School at Lugwardine, joined the Army.

He became a junior sergeant while training as a wireless telegraphist at the Army Apprentice College at Harrogate, where he was tipped for officer training at Sandhurst.

But when he was 18 cruel fate stepped in. He went abseiling with a friend on cliffs at Swanage and a freak accident nearly cost him his life.

The boulder to which he was roped, rolled off the cliff, hit him and sent him plunging 100 feet into the sea.

Incredibly, a lifeboat returning from an exercise was passing and rescued him.

Dylan suffered severe injuries, including a fractured skull and jaw, and spent a year at the Army’s Headley Hall rehabilitation hospital.

There, he learned to walk and talk again and to come to terms with the fact his Army career was over.

Dylan came home to his family in Hereford with four goals – to stand up, to touch his right foot, to walk his sister Charlotte down the aisle at her wedding and to climb Pen-y-fan. He achieved all four.

Over the years he completed an IT course, took up art and design, and had been studying a cookery course.

He underwent surgery and suffered much pain and, when he gave up riding his three-wheel cycle, turned to travelling regularly by bus.

He worked two days a week on a voluntary basis at the Barnardo’s shop in Hereford and each day met many of his army of friends in town for coffee.

Dylan also attended Headway, the organisation in Hereford that helps people who have suffered head injuries.

But his health deteriorated and episodes of epilepsy increased, causing him to be taken to the A&E department at the County Hospital.

Last Wednesday he suffered his last attack and, despite all the efforts of hospital staff, he died at the County.

His mother, Gail Hanson, of Redhill, said she and her daughter Charlotte were devastated by his death but they were grateful that his life had been spared in 1992 and that they had him for the last 16 years.

He had dealt with his life with fortitude, managed to remain a well-liked, cheerful person and made a host of friends. She thanked all those who had helped him – bus drivers, ambulance staff and those at the hospital who knew him over the years.

“The standard of care and friendship they gave to Dylan was second to none. I do not know them but I would like them to know, through the Hereford Times that Dylan is no longer with us but I appreciate all they did,”

explained Mrs Hanson.

His funeral will take place at St Martin’s Church, Hereford, on Friday, July 11, at 11am.