REBORN IN HONOUR OF MY LOST FIANCE
Partner of swimming pool tragedy victim takes his surname
THE fiancee of a man found dead in a hotel swimming pool nine weeks before their wedding has taken his name as a tribute to him.
Darren Steedman-Kerr’s body was discovered at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel near Edinburgh airport just over three weeks ago.
His devoted partner Michelle Mitchell revealed that she has officially changed her surname to Kerr to honour the man she described as the “most honest and lovable person I knew”.
Michelle, 33, posted on Facebook: “Finally… new birth certificate.”
Alongside the message was an image of the certificate confirming the name change.
Congratulated by a pal on becoming “Mrs Kerr”, Michelle replied: “I wish it was Mrs. Closest was Ms but I’ll always be the wife.”
Other friends posted their support. One wrote: “Michelle Kerr, you will always be his wife, his love, his soulmate, his best friend. Ms Kerr sounds perfect too.”
Another said: “Beautiful. Darren would be so happy you did this.”
The couple lived together in Ratho, near Edinburgh, and were due to marry at Kirknewton Stables, West Lothian.
They got engaged in May 2015 and Michelle spent months planning their wedding celebrations, including a hen party in Ibiza.
Darren, 29, was found in the hotel pool at about 7.25pm on May 27. Staff desperately tried to help him but he was “non-responsive”.
Born in Wester Hailes, Edinburgh, Darren began a plumbing and heating apprenticeship in January.
It is believed he was using the leisure facilities at the hotel on Eastfield Road when he died. Police investigated Darren’s death and did not treat it as suspicious. The cause of his death is not known.
After he died, beside a snap of her engagement ring, Michelle wrote on Facebook: “You will always be with me and I’ll never ever take this off.”
She added: “As much as I had planned our perfect wedding for nine weeks’ time, I didn’t need a piece of paper to tell you that I loved you and that we would spend the rest of our life together.”
On June 11, believed to be the day before Darren’s funeral, Michelle posted: “I saw my beautiful Darren’s face for the last time today. I kissed him and cuddled him and told him how much I loved him.
“I just hope tomorrow that I make him so proud and manage to say everything that I want to and give him everything he deserves.”
It is understood Michelle delivered a tribute during the service.
Afterwards a pal posted: “What a lovely service, surrounded by friends and family. You did amazing.”
Michelle, who works as an energy adviser, last week told how she had swapped her car for Darren’s.
She said: “Handed my Audi back to take over this wee retro beauty from Daz. Money doesn’t buy happiness or love.”
A friend commented: “Darren will be so proud of you and so happy to see you looking after his car. You are one very special lady.”
Beautiful. Darren would be so happy you did this FRIEND