‘An amazing kid in the wrong place at the wrong time’
THE mum of a teenage boy who died after being hit by a taxi has paid tribute to her beloved son and praised the support she’s received from the community of Barry since his death.
Morgan Ackerman, 16, was taken to the critical care unit at the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, after the incident in Barry on Tuesday, January 3, at around 10.30pm.
His family made the unimaginably difficult decision to switch off the machines that were keeping him alive due to the severity of his injuries and he died on January 4.
A family tribute released at the time said that Morgie, as he was affectionately known, was “loved by absolutely everybody who knew him and he touched so many people with his infectious personality”.
Described as the life and soul of wherever he went, Morgie was a big football fan, supporting Liverpool FC, and was studying construction at Cardiff and Vale College, while also working part-time at a landscaping company on Fridays and Saturdays.
His death prompted an outpouring of support from his friends, family, and schoolmates as the community rallied to raise more than £4,000 while around 1,000 people let off lanterns and balloons from Barry Island in his memory.
Mum Leanne Sweet, 42, has paid tribute to her son ahead of a memorial football match being held at Jenner Park Stadium on May 27 from around 3.30pm, with the event continuing in the clubhouse afterwards.
She described the former Barry Comprehensive pupil as “an amazing kid in the wrong place at the wrong time”.
Leanne thanked the community of Barry for offering her support, as well as their family liaison officer from South Wales Police.
“It makes me really proud as a mum to know that my son was so thought of and loved by Barry as a community.”
Morgan was hit by a white Skoda Octavia taxi on the night of January 3, on Barry Road, opposite its junction with Llewellyn Street.
“I’d spoken to him minutes before asking him where he was because he was due home and he said ‘I won’t be long, what’s for tea? I’m starving.’”
The family received a phone call minutes later from a friend who was with him, telling them about the collision.
Just hours earlier, mum Leanne and her son had been walking their dogs together at Porthkerry, before Leanne dropped him off at a friend’s at around 4pm.
Leanne said he’d told her “I won’t be out long, mum”.
A memorial bench has been installed in recent weeks at a Barry beach for Morgie, who was a much-loved son, brother, grandson and friend. The bench, which features a memorial plaque, has been installed at Jackson’s Bay beach, with a grateful Leanne wanting to thank all involved.
An inquest into the Barry teenager’s death is due to begin on Thursday.
Leanne said: “Thursday will be the day that we know what actually happened.”
Any businesses that would like to donate a gift to the raffle for the memorial match can contact Leanne through the Facebook page for Morgie’s Memorial Match.
A police spokeswoman said: “South Wales Police has prepared a file for the Coroner’s inquest. We are no longer investigating this incident as a criminal matter.”