‘INSPIRATION’ WHO PUT DINO STATUE IN GARDEN DIES
THE man who bought a life-size dinosaur and put it in his garden has died. Jerry Adams installed the 15ft tall beast in his front garden in March this year, after Dan-yr-Ogof Showcaves decided to auction it off for charity.
The giant Allosaurus quickly became a star attraction after its arrival at the property in Cwmbran, and Mr Adams even used to take it to events up and down the country for people to see.
But sadly on Thursday, August 29, the 58-year-old suffered a heart attack before dying at the Royal Gwent Hospital.
His wife Lesley and their five daughters have paid tribute to Mr Adams whom they say was a “phenomenal” man and their “hero”.
His daughter Samantha Adams, 35, said: “He was a good person who accepted everyone for who they were and he didn’t judge anyone.
“When you’d come through the door you were treated the same as everyone else. For me he was my inspiration and he taught me that nothing was ever that bad in life and that it would always be sorted. He meant the world to us. He was our hero.”
Mr Adams
had five daughters, Rebecca, Leanne, Samantha, Abigail and Tamar, and 12 grandchildren and in his spare time was an avid off-road motorbiker.
“Other families were brought up with rugby and football, but with us it was motorbikes,” Samantha added.
“He would take part in the Weston beach race every year and he would ride for fun.
“Dogs were a big part of his life. He rescued two this year, Merlin and Bear. He fostered dogs that had been abused and he would rehabilitate them.
“When it came to the dinosaur he saw on the news that they were auctioning it off and found it online and bought it.
“He was like a kid in a sweet shop when he won it. When my mother saw it she said, ‘What is that in the garden? I didn’t think it would be that size.’”
Mr Adams used to take the dinosaur around with him to big events around Wales so people could have their picture taken with it.
His daughter said he “loved speaking to people and seeing them having their photos with it”.