'Everyone knew Nafe and everyone loved him'

The heartbroken mum of Nathan Clarke, 27, of Chester Road, Winsford, has spoken with pride and passion about her gentle, generous son.

Nathan Clarke, known fondly as Nafe, of Chester Road, Winsford, was thrown off his bike in a collision with a car on the A54 Chester Lane and suffered catastrophic brain injuries when he hit a wooden gate at 11am on Saturday, February 23, tragically on the day of his mum's 60th birthday, an inquest in Crewe heard on Tuesday.

Nathan was taken to the Royal Stoke Hospital where he lost his fight for life the following day.

Speaking after the hearing, Lesley said: "Everyone knew Nafe and everyone loved him. A few weeks before he died, he stopped one of his close friends from taking his own life. He would be there for anybody.

"He didn't call me 'mum', it was always 'Les'. He was my friend as well as my son and I am proud of that."

Nathan signed up to be a donor when he was only eight.

"Both his kidneys were donated to young men in their 30s," said Lesley. "One was waiting for a month and the other for two and a half years. We are so proud that from this heartbreaking tragedy some good has come out of it. Nafe was selfless in life and also in death.

Nathan was selfless in life and in death, saving the lives of two young men by donating his kidneys

"Nafe really does live on, it is such a fantastic gift. It has made a big difference to the lives of these men and their families."

Lesley is urging everyone to have a conversation with their loved ones about their final wishes.

"Nobody ever talks about the end of life," she said. "One thing we know for certain is that we will have to die.

"Nobody thinks it is going to happen to them, unfortunately sometimes it does.

"Speak to your loved ones and friends and tell them what you want. I had that conversation with Nafe."

Lesley recalled the shock of watching paramedics trying to revive her son after the crash, which happened just a few hundred yards from his family home.

'Everyone knew Nafe and everyone loved him'

"I had this horrible cold feeling, my stomach turned over," she said. "That morning Nafe kissed me, told me he loved me and would see me later. Unfortunately that was not to be. I am so proud that he filled his short life and so grateful we had him for nearly 28 years."

On the morning of the accident Nathan was riding with his best friend Kieran Hodkinson to J&S Accessories in Northwich for a leisurely breakfast where he had arranged to meet a girl.

"He was going to meet a young lady for the first time," said Lesley. "He had been in touch with her on the internet. She was size eight with pink hair, tattoos and a motorbike so she ticked four of his boxes. Kieran contacted her afterwards to say 'sorry, we didn't make it'. Who knows what might have happened."

Nathan loved tattoos. Friends at Cruise Tattoo in Winsford raised £1,500 from a charity piercing day in his memory.

"He was a big unit covered in tattoos," said Lesley. "Every single one meant so much to him. He was very philosophical. On the back of his leg he had one which said 'I haven't failed just found 1,000 ways that don't work."

Music was a big part of Nathan's life.

Nathan loved music and played the guitar and drums

"He played the guitar and drums," said Lesley. "He used to sit and strum with his dad Colin."

Nathan was an only child but grew up with a tight-knit group of friends he looked upon as brothers and sisters and was very close to his grandparents Syd and Joan Hulse.

A warehouse manager at Johnsons Removals, he was also a qualified doorman, working at venues across Cheshire and Shropshire including Madison's in Northwich, Nakatcha in Nantwich, the Boar's Head in Oswestry.

Earlier, he worked as a barman at De Bees in Winsford.

More than 450 people attended his funeral at the United Reform Church in Over and a sea of bikes followed the cortege to the crematorium.

"I knew everybody loved Nafe, I didn't know how many everybodys there were," said Lesley.

Thousands of pounds have been raised for the Royal Stoke Hospital, North West Air Ambulance and Over URC in his memory.

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A charity bike night is being held at J&S Accessories in Northwich on September 4, from 5pm to 9pm, in aid of North West Air Ambulance.

"It's a get together for bikers," said Lesley. "A chance to meet up and chat. A lot of Nafe's family and friends will be there.

"Everyone is totally devastated because he was so loved.

"But I know that he was on top of the world that morning, doing what he loved to do. How many of us can say we leave this earth feeling that way?

"Nafe will be with us forever. I am sure of that. Nobody will forget him."