Jay Slater’s devastated mother has appealed for more GoFundMe donations so she can give her son the ‘send off he deserves’ after his body was found at the base of a ravine in Tenerife.
Debbie Duncan said her family had been left ‘overwhelmed by grief’ after the tragic discovery, almost a month after the teenager from Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, first disappeared on June 17.
Jay’s mother, along with his father Warren Slater and his brother Zak, remain on the Canary Island as they await to accompany the youngster’s body home.
In an update today, Ms Duncan said: ‘We are working with agencies to arrange Jay’s repatriation to the UK and the remaining funds, along with any future donations will be used to help with this if needed and to pay for Jay’s funeral costs back home.
‘We want to give our boy the send-off he deserves so please do continue to share and support our fundraiser however you can.’
Jay Slater was found in a ravine in the west of Tenerife almost a month after he went missing following a night out
Jay pictured with his mother Debbie Duncan
An update from Jay’s mother today on their GoFundMe site asked for further donations to help give the teen ‘the send off he deserves’
Jay’s brother Zak and his father Warren Slater, who also travelled to the island and helped with searches
The family, who first flew out just days after Jay disappeared on the holiday island, have been supported by assistance abroad charity LBT Global and a Dutch search team Signi Zoekhondon.
Ms Duncan revealed that both charities are set to fly home in the next few days as she thanked them for all their support.
The 19-year-old apprentice bricklayer was found dead the base of a ravine near the village of Masca on Monday at 10am almost a month after he disappeared.
He has been formally identified following the discovery of his body in the Baranco Juan Lopez valley, where is believed to have lain for four weeks as he tried to walk home after a night out.
The family now could wait up to a week in agony as they wait to bring the teen back home to the UK.
Matthew Searle, chief executive of the non-profit, believes the Spanish authorities have completed their post-mortem and have no further examinations to carry out.
The full statement from Ms Duncan on GoFundMe today said: ‘Hello everyone, thank you for all of your kindness, support and condolences in light of the tragic news that Jay’s body has been found.
‘We are overwhelmed with grief and are so grateful for your support. The wonderful team from The Netherlands, Signi Zoekhondon, have remained in Spain all week and have continued to support us since Jay was found.
His mother, Debbie Duncan, who travelled to Tenerife hoping to find her son alive
A handwritten message from Jay’s mother Debbie Turner attached with a blue peg to one of the bouquets
Another moving message pegged to a post by Jay’s father Walter Slater reads: ‘To my Boy, Love Dad, Always, XXXX’
A message from Jay’s big brother Zack which reads ‘Love you little bro’ and ‘I’ll look after Mum and Dad’
Yesterday tearful mourners gathered in Jay’s hometown of Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, where they released blue balloons in his memory
‘They are due to fly home in the coming days and we are so appreciative of their dedication and support. We would like to thank LBT Global for their support during this impossible time.
‘We are working with agencies to arrange Jay’s repatriation to the UK and the remaining funds, along with any future donations will be used to help with this if needed and to pay for Jay’s funeral costs back home.
‘We want to give our boy the send-off he deserves so please do continue to share and support our fundraiser however you can.’
Yesterday Mr Searle revealed that proceeds from the GoFundMe page – that has raised over £59,000, could help pay for Jay’s repatriation.
‘It’s always nice for them to say we have literally brought him home together,’ he said.
Jay’s family had travelled to Tenerife in the hope of finding him alive, with Warren and Zak pictured aiding searches in the valley.
Instead of bringing him home alive, the grief-stricken clan have had to leave tributes to the young man close to the spot where he died, with messages describing him as a ‘beautiful boy’ and ‘forever young’.
Bunches of white chrysanthemums and roses were left beside a large rock on a path overlooking the ravine in Tenerife where the body of the 19-year-old was found on Monday morning.
Volunteers searching for Jay in Masca after the teenager went missing
The Guardia Civil released video footage of the search efforts undertaken to find Jay. A helicopter was called in to help with the recovery of his body
A handwritten message from his mother Debbie Turner attached with a blue peg to one of the bouquets said: ‘To my beautiful boy. I’m so sorry we never found you. I miss you so much. You will be forever young and forever missed. Love you so much, Mum’.
Another moving message pegged to a post by Jay’s father Walter Slater read: ‘To my Boy, Love Dad, Always, XXXX’.
A third handwritten message from Jay’s brother Zak written in faltering handwriting was attached to a single white rose.
It read: ‘Love you little bro. Never in a million years did I think I’d be doing this. I’ll look after mum and dad. Hope you’re partying up there with granddad. Hope to see you again some day. Rest easy bro, I love you, Zak XX’.
Jay had disappeared in the early hours of June 17 following a night out at the NRG music festival in the resort of Playa de las Americas.
He had left his friends and went off with two men, one of whom is a convicted drug dealer, who drove him back to their Airbnb accommodation on the outskirts of the village of Masca, around 20 miles away.
The men he went back with were deemed ‘not relevant’ to the investigation by Spanish police.