Honour for Bideford hero Sean Griffiths

By ksmith

A BIDEFORD man who drowned trying to save a friend is to be honoured for making the ultimate sacrifice.

Sean Griffiths, 40, died four days after jumping into the River Torridge to save Scott Mason in February last year.

His family will be unveiling a plaque in his memory on a bench next to the river on the anniversary of his death on February 22.

Mum Carole Cornelius-Jones said the whole family, including Sean's sisters, Leigh and Justine, brothers Lance and Warren, and his children, Cory, 13, Chloe, 10, and Carl, one, were incredibly proud of him.

She said: "Sean was loved by everyone and would do anything for anyone, as he proved.

"He loved Manchester United and was always into his motorbikes which was a progression from his love of Tonka toys.

"He was a bit like a pied piper and at the age of about 14, used to take gangs of children fishing. He was always up for a laugh and always had a smile on his face."

Sean grew up in North Wales and moved to Bideford 15 years ago after being told what a great place it was.

His sister Leigh followed six years later, and Carole moved to the Little White Town just 14 months ago.

She said: "I feel very lucky as if I hadn't moved when I did, I wouldn't have had the four months that I had with Sean. I spent nearly every other day with him and he used to joke and ask what list did I have for him next as he did a lot for me.

"It is devastating."

Just hours after Sean was rushed to North Devon District Hospital Carole suffered a heart attack.

She said: "The medical teams were excellent in everything they did for me and my son.

"I was in coronary care, he was in intensive care and the nurses would take me to see him in a wheelchair.

"I was still a patient at the hospital when the family had to make the decision to turn off my son's life support machine.

"My heart is in my children, like a jigsaw, and now there is a piece missing. It is a void that is never going to be filled although I feel like he is around me all the time.

"Words cannot say how much I miss him."

Carole added: "I am very proud of what Sean did, but I am very angry and bitter that I have lost a son.

"I have never had any contact from the person he tried to save. I know his name but don't know who he was or anything about him. I feel very angry."

Carole said her family are incredibly close and Sean's brother Lance moved to Bideford after he died to continue supporting them.

She said: "I am very proud of my children and love them all to bits.

"I'm incredibly proud of Sean and proud and privileged that the people of Bideford and the mayor, Andy Powell, are acknowledging the sacrifice Sean made by trying to save that young man's life that night by putting up a plaque in his honour.

"I feel very angry that the stupidity of that young man's actions that night stole a son, brother, father and uncle from us all and we all miss him terribly."

Carole said she would also like to thank the people of Bideford, including John Emms from Lathwell's restaurant, and Mandy Gardiner, owner of the White Hart, for their support.

She said Mandy has arranged for a piper to play at the ceremony at 4.15pm on February 22.

Balloons and flowers will be scattered onto the River Torridge afterwards.