‘It’s been 14 months and we want answers’
Anton Walkes’ dad insists the family remain in the dark over the full details of his son’s fatal accident - and now want answers.
Lee Walkes, a selfemployed electrician, told The News: ‘We haven’t had any explanation.
We are waiting for a full investigation report, we are waiting to hear from the American police. It has been a nightmare.
‘We haven’t chased information, we’re still trying to find strength every day just to see ourselves through before considering taking on this next challenge. But the time is coming where we need to stand up and ask questions, making our own enquiries.
‘We should be told what led up to that day, how Anton and his teammates came to be on those jet skis. We don’t know the full details about what happened other than what we’ve read on the internet and social media.
‘It was preseason, you’re supposed to have your team protected and wrapped up in their hotel rooms, not riding jet skis. They said the players were on a day off. If that’s the case,
Anton would have been at home with his daughter - not doing what killed him. That was no day off.
‘All we know is he was a passenger on a jet ski and was struck by a bigger boat. When we travelled to America following his passing, we met the team and it felt as though they’d been briefed, told to keep quiet.
‘It has been 14 months and we want answers. As parents, there is no getting over this for me and Kelly.
‘We haven’t heard from Charlotte FC since Anton’s funeral. Not on the year anniversary of his passing, not on his birthday, not a bunch of flowers to Kelly on Mother’s Day, absolute squat. This is the player who died while in their care.
‘We are struggling. I keep myself busy at work to stop me thinking too much. If Anton was here, he’d be telling me to get up, not to let it beat me, I know he would.
‘Time isn’t going to be a great healer in this case. During the last 20 years, me and Kelly have both lost our mums, time has healed with that, but this is a bit different. This is our son, there’s no way we’re going to recover. Then again, why should I have to get over it? I’m not even going to try.’