Jay Slater’s heartbroken friends maintain emotional vigil to recollect teenager
Dozens of blue balloons were released into the sky after an emotional vigil was held to pay tribute to Jay Slater.
The tragic teenager’s devastated mates met up at the West End Methodist Church in Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, tonight (July 16) after his death was confirmed.
Balloons had messages saying “you’ll be missed” and “fly high Jay” as visibly distressed mourners comforted each other as they remembered the 19-year-old.
READ MORE: Grim discovery of ‘lifeless body of a young man’ found in inaccessible area of Tenerife
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(Image: PA)
(Image: Dave Nelson / MEN Media)
Jay’s ‘very deteriorated’ remains were found yesterday (July 15) in an ‘inaccessible area’ of Masca, close to where his phone last pinged.
This was after he went missing one month ago on June 17 after attending the three-day NRG Festival in Tenerife.
At the vigil, Jay’s football coach, Pam Kierons, said: “I’m devastated for the family, devastated for Debbie. The outcome is not what anyone wanted, but at least they can bring his body home. It’s disgusting that people have dug into past issues and come up with crazy conspiracy theories. Sadly the most likely thing to have happened has happened.”
Reverend Matt Smith meanwhile told the crowd: “Our thoughts and our prayers are with them. We’re here and supporting them for when they need us.”
Blue ribbons were also tied to trees and lamp posts as a show of solidarity with Jay’s closest family members who remain in the Canary Islands.
Rev Smith said he opened the church so people could “come together and to just share their feelings, their thoughts and their prayers with each other”.
(Image: MEN Media)
(Image: Dave Nelson / MEN Media)
According to The Mirror, a photograph of Jay sat at the alter while pictures of him were shown on big screens.
Earlier today a Civil Guard spokesperson confirmed that the body found was that of Jay, saying: “The body of the man located yesterday has been identified as that of Jay Slater’s through fingerprint comparison and identification. The result of the preliminary autopsy points to the cause of death being a fall or plunge from height due to the broken bones he suffered.”
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