Vandals have minimize down the memorial bushes I planted to recollect my son who died in his sleep aged 19 – I can not perceive how anybody might be so egocentric and merciless
A distraught father has condemned the ‘cruel and selfish’ vandals who ‘brutally’ stole blossom branches from trees planted in memory of his teenage son after he tragically died in his sleep.
Archie Adam, from Ladywell, south-east London, posted a heart-wrenching post on social media appealing for help in finding the culprits behind the ‘wanton act of violence’, which took place in in Lewisham in the early hours of Friday morning.
He believes the thieves, who arrived at around 1.30am in a white van, may have been looking to sell the blossom for a wedding or photoshoot over the weekend.
Over the last four years, the distressed father has lovingly planted 150 trees in the area around Hilly Fields park in memory of his son, Freddy, who was just 19 when he passed away suddenly on August 19, 2021.
Since then, Mr Adams, together with his family and friends, have created a five-mile ‘blossom walk’ that stretches from their home, past Hilly Fields and on to Telegraph Hill Upper Park, before looping round to Brockley, Blythe Hill Fields and returning through Ladywell fields.
The route covers the daily route the youngster took to get to school, as well as his friends’ houses and ‘other places of significance in his life’.
Scores of trees from five different varieties line the walk and are designed to blossom each year around Freddy’s birthday, which is marked on April 23.
But there will be no cherry blossom this year in Hilly Fields following the ‘destructive’ act.
Archie Adam has condemned the ‘cruel and selfish’ vandals who ‘brutally’ stole blossom branches from trees planted in memory of his 19-year-old son Freddy, who died in his sleep
Freddy’s family has lovingly planted 150 trees in the area around Hilly Fields park in memory of the teenager who passed away in 2021 – but vandals have chopped the blossom branches off
Archie (second from left), pictured with son Freddy (right) and his wife xxx and daughter xxx
Writing a post on Facebook, Mr Adams wrote: ‘At around 1.30am on Thursday the Cherry Blossom tree avenue in Hilly Fields on Montague Avenue that forms part of Freddy’s Blossom Walk was premeditatedly attacked and brutally decimated.
‘We know roughly the time from speaking with a neighbour opposite who saw and heard a white van pull up outside at this time.
‘They must have come with a stepladder to reach the high branches and have been there for a while as they have taken every single branch from the five trees in the avenue that were just about to burst into blossom, as well as a few branches from the trees that were already in blossom.
‘Please can anyone with cameras outside their houses/ring doorbells on any of the surrounding streets (Montague Av, Hilly Fields Crescent, Tresillian Rd, Adelaide Av, Harefield Rd etc) check their footage around this time to see if they can see a number plate on a white van passing at around 1.30am?
‘They have obviously been taken to either sell or for a wedding or photoshoot this weekend.
‘So if anyone sees blossom for sale, saw anything on Thursday morning, or sees anything over the preceding few days please get in touch.’
Mr Adams went on to explain this was not the first time the trees – which have huge significance for the family – have been vandalised.
He wrote: ‘Creating Freddy’s Blossom Walk over the last 4 years has been a labour of love and seeing the trees come into blossom each year has lifted our hearts.
Scores of trees from five different varieties line the walk and are designed to blossom each year around Freddy’s birthday, which is marked on April 23
The family funded blossom walk through a JustGiving appeal set up after Freddy’s death
A map shows the 150 trees which have been planted in Freddy’s memory around his home area
Mr Adam believes the thieves, who arrived at around 1.30am in a white van, may have been looking to sell the blossom for a wedding or photoshoot over the weekend
The culprits are thought to have used a stepladder to reach the high branches, with ‘every single branch from the five trees in the avenue that were just about to burst into blossom’ having been taken
‘Selfish, cruel and destructive’: Mr Adam has blasted the thieves who have stolen the blossom
‘After the trees had multiple branches taken a few years ago each now has a sign on saying they are memorial trees/please don’t take my blossom.
‘We are struggling to comprehend such a wanton act of violence and how someone can be so selfish, cruel and destructive.’
The family funded the memorial blossom walk through a JustGiving appeal set up shortly after Freddy’s death, surpassing the £30,000 they originally intended to raise.
In total, £35,000 was raised for charity Street Trees For Living.
Subsidised by Lewisham Council, each tree cost £350 to plant and care for, which the family has described as a ‘living, growing, oxygen giving memorial to our wonderful, beautiful boy, who meant so much to so many.’
Speaking to MailOnline, Mr Adams said:
