'Music and memories' planned as loved ones prepare to say final goodbye to Aberdeen man who died in Ibiza

Press and Journal

15 hours ago

Loved ones grieving the loss of an Aberdeen man who died in Ibiza are preparing to hold a celebration of his life that they promise will be full of music and memories.
We reported earlier this month how Evan Thomson, 26, was on holiday with friends on the Spanish island when he fell from a sixth-floor balcony and died.
Officials told his loved ones that he would not have suffered in the moments before his death.
Evan grew up in Tillydrone before moving to Hilton with his family as a schoolboy.
Police on the island are treating Evan's death as an accident, and it is understood a judge is set to formally close the investigation.
However, questions remain about safety standards at the Ibiza Rocks hotel – particularly in respect of the low balcony walls, which only came up to Evan's hip.
And the communities of Aberdeen and Dundee reacted in horror this week when 19-year-old Dundee man and Aberdeen ice hockey player Gary Kelly died in a near identical way at the same hotel.
Evan's body is now back in Scotland and a celebration of life ceremony takes place a week tomorrow.
On July 31, friends and family will gather at Aberdeen Crematorium in Hazlehead to honour Evan's memory.
There will then be a reception at the Chester Hotel on Queens Road.
Evan's sister Teila said: 'My brother was always a very positive person and wouldn't have liked doom and gloom, so we want to make this a celebration of his life with music and memories.
'We have planned a celebration of his life, focusing on all the good times and things he did, the relationships he had and how much he will be forever sorely missed.
'Our deepest wish is to give Evan the send off he'd have loved to attend himself, with all his favourite people having a party to celebrate him.'
The family have chosen funeral celebrant Jeff Diack to lead the ceremony.
We reported recently how Jeff had become a funeral celebrant, helping families during the worst time in their lives.
Jeff has proved a popular choice because of his upbeat approach to services.
Teila added: 'All Evan's friends have been putting in their stories and we've given them all to Jeff so he can read them at the service.
'Evan would love Jeff's involvement as he loved music.'
Earlier this month, Evan's closest friends and his girlfriend told us about his eclectic music taste.
Evan's girlfriend Remi Duncan said: 'He absolutely did love his music – but his taste was all over the place.
'He'd listen to everything from classical music to drill.
'One minute he'd be sat in the car listening to a song that was really sombre and the next tune would be really upbeat and he'd be dancing.'
Teila said speaking with Evan's friends in recent weeks has been a deeply moving learning experience, as his pals told her about a side of his personality she hadn't seen before.
She said: 'I've learnt something from his friends the last few weeks .
'As usual I've always been the 'embarrassing' older sister – but his friends had mentioned he would always play this particular song, which reminds them of him.
'If someone spoke during this particular song, he'd start it again – and it turned out to be a song I used to play all the time. So I was clearly not as 'embarrassing' as he said.'
Teila said she wanted the song – and other selections of music and readings – to be a surprise for guests at the service.
Evan made a living selling rare and collectable items, such as limited edition footwear, via his own business.
Evan's pals told us he had ambitions to launch a property-dealing firm – and this entrepreneurial spirit came from a young age.
Teila said: 'A lot of his service will be stories of how he just made everyone laugh and they could never be annoyed with him, as he was such a chancer.
'When he was 15, my mum was hosting a get-together and she was mortified.
'She'd asked Evan to help with getting people's jackets to take upstairs and offering them something to drink when they came in.
'It wasn't until later when my mum came out the living room he'd set up a wee table by the door saying 'tips'. He was just hilarious.
'Anything you maybe thought he'd done, it was always 10 times extra.
'Things like that just sum him up perfectly.'
Perhaps the quality people loved the most about Evan was his ability to connect with others.
He met close friend James Shand because James had lost his wallet one night and Evan found it and went out of his way to return it to James.
And he met his girlfriend Remi because he was relaxed enough to make a joke with her at a bar in Aberdeen, back in January.
Teila said: 'Evan was always compassionate. He just spoke with anyone and everyone, always making friends.'
Evan's family have asked people who wish to make a donation in Evan's memory to choose ALC Aberdeen, which supports children, young people and their families throughout the city.