‘Go well my son’ — Mother pays tribute to son, 17, killed in Waterford e-scooter crash

The mother of a 17-year-old boy who was tragically killed in a crash between an e-scooter and bus in Co Waterford has paid an emotional tribute to him at his funeral.

Avuzwa Idris, 17, passed away from his injuries following the crash between the e-scooter and bus last Thursday (June 27) at around 2.15am on the Cork Road in Co Waterford. His friend Gilbert Collins, 15, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Speaking at his funeral on Thursday, his mother Priscilla revealed that he was planning to visit South Africa, where his family are from, this year — and joked that he still owed his brother a rematch in FIFA.

‘In this life I have learned that there is some bad and good days, this was the worst bad and saddest day in my life,’ Ms Idris said. ‘Avu, a million words won’t bring you back my son, and I know because I’ve tried.

‘Avu, tears won’t bring you back because I’ve cried. I’ve cried and cried. Avu, my eyes refuse to watch you leaving me because I think it was too soon. I still wanted to see you growing and become a great football player,’ she continued.

‘Avu loved football and he lived football. He also wanted to be tall and gain weight. His friend Benji said that it was cause he drank orange juice, so I had to buy him it to gain weight. He always wanted to see his team winning and he would be screaming at his teammates because he wanted them to win.’

‘Avu, you know we had plans and how you wanted to travel to South Africa with his friends. That was going to happen this December.

‘We always argued about doing his laundry and his habit of missing the bus. I’ll think of all the good times we had with Avu. Go well my son, I’ll always love you, I’ll always love you.’

Avuzwa’s siblings also paid touching tributes to him, with his sister Noora said that while she’ll miss having him around ‘as much as I know about life, you have taught me a lesson here today by keeping walking steady, and although walking down this path won’t be easy, but memories that I have with you will keep me company. ‘

‘The memories in the kitchen when I’d cook and you’d steal my own food. It may be time to say goodbye, but your memories will fit like a keyhole in a lock,’ Noora continued. ‘Your words will encourage me, lift me up in life, and you’ll forever be missed by everybody. I want you to know as your sister I will forever love you.’

‘I wish I had spent more time with you this year, if I had known you were going, and although it’s too late to say it, you owe me a rematch in FIFA,’ his brother Nur joked. ‘I wish you were alive to carry on your football career.

‘I wish you made it further. Just know that I really love you. Everyone loves you and everyone is going to miss you.’

Gardaí are continuing their appeal for anyone who was travelling in the area between 1.45am and 2.15am on the day of the accident to come forward.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact Waterford Garda Station on 051 305300, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or any Garda Station.