A tribute to Oliver Gatfield

The family of a young man who was killed in a crash on the A602 in Hitchin have released a public tribute to their “beautiful, kind, caring and loving Oliver.”

Oliver Gatfield, aged 19 and from Stevenage, was travelling home after a meal out when the incident occurred at around 8.40pm on Saturday 13 January.

The car Oliver was travelling in struck a tree on the A602 Park Way, near to the junction with Willow Lane. Oliver sadly died at the scene, and another man in his late teens remains in hospital due to injuries suffered during the incident.

In a tribute, Oliver’s family said:

“To our beautiful, kind, caring and loving Oliver, we never thought we would have to do anything like this – it’s so very, very hard. You have been taken from us far too early and we cannot believe we will never see you or your beautiful smile again.

“Each day we miss you bounding through the front door with your big, beautiful, infectious smile and your boundless energy, always rushing from one place to the next. You could brighten anyone’s day with that smile and your ability to make people laugh, even as a small child.

“From the day we first held you, we knew you were special and growing up you were always the entertainer making others laugh. Nanny always said you should become a comedian because of the way you captured a room and made everyone laugh.

“The list of what we miss about you is endless. Mum never got used to how tall you had become. When you hugged her she felt so loved, and so very small. Those hugs were just the best and will always be missed. She can still see you standing there, coming in to give her those hugs.

“We will always love you so much and are grateful even for the short time we got to spend with you. You grew up into such a lovely young man, you were our complete world and life is just never going to be the same without you and your gorgeous smile in it. We are so proud of the man you become with your kind, caring nature, your heart of gold, the way you helped your friends and the fact that no matter what you were doing, you were going to have fun while you were doing it. You just had a natural ability to light up any room and make people smile and laugh. You always made everyone’s day brighter. That smile will be truly missed forever.

Our investigations into this incident are continuing and we urge anyone with information or dashcam footage to either report online, speak to an operator in our Force Communications Room via our online web chat or call the non-emergency number 101 quoting ISR 670 of 13 January.

Alternatively, you can stay 100% anonymous by contacting the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or via their untraceable online form (opens in a new window). 

Oliver pictured below