Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Family in shock after ‘free spirit’ son ends his life
A devastated family are grieving the death of a sports-mad son and brother who strove to be the best in everything he did.
Ex-simon Langton pupil Chris Quenby, 28, from Canterbury, died in Australia, where he had moved last year to pursue his love of outdoors adventure.
His parents, Patrick and Valerie, who live in The Foreland, say he took his own life on February 26.
They say they believe the former British and European taekwondo champion was happy and enjoying his time in a suburb of Perth, where he lived with friends.
Described as outgoing, caring and talented, Chris’s death has shocked and saddened his many friends in the UK and they have inundated the family with messages of sympathy.
Chris moved to Australia in October and was working for a backpackers’ travel company but planned to start a martial arts school when he was more settled.
He was the youngest of three children, and his sisters, Sheona, 32, and Siobhan, 30, returned to the family home after the tragedy.
Ex-langton girl Siobhan said: “Chris had a passion for travel and had always wanted to go out to Australia and planned to stay for a year or two.
“He wanted to start a new chap-
ter in his life out there because it was so suited to his love of outdoor adventure sports.
“He loved the idea of the lifestyle and said he was having a fantastic time.
“He was the kind of person who could meet a complete stranger and strike up a friendship.
“He was very bubbly and positive and the most sociable person you could meet and that helped him in any people-friendly type job.”
Chris excelled at school and was a straight-a student, even helping to tutor younger GCSE pupils.
Although academically gifted,
he preferred the outdoors to the classroom and went on to complete a sports science degree at Loughborough University.
He mastered many sports, including scuba diving, free diving, sky diving and snowboarding, but his lifelong passion was taekwondo.
He won seven British taekwondo titles, was a double European champion and won three British kickboxing titles.
Valerie said: “He was a real grafter in anything he did and just wanted to be the best he could and enjoyed helping others learn. He was a very popular young man.”
Patrick, an oil boiler engineer, added: “I think you could say he packed more into his 28 years than some people do in a lifetime.
“He was a free spirit, although as a parent you always worry when you have to let them go.
“We have been overwhelmed with so many kind messages from everyone and would like to thank everyone for their thoughts at what is a very difficult time for us.”
Chris started training at the Ted Wolf School of Taekwondo at the age of six and set up his own martial arts school, Fight Train.
His former instructor, Lucy Wolf, said: “It’s a huge shock. Chris was just a little lad when he came to the school but was very determined to succeed.
“Everyone who knew him from the school is very sad at the news.”
Family members are due this week to fly to Australia, where Chris is expected to be cremated and his ashes brought home.
A celebration of his life is being planned in Canterbury for family and friends.
Sheona, also an ex-langton girl and who is expecting her first child, said: “We are organising a special gathering back here and will be letting his friends know the arrangements when they are finalised in the near future.”