Heartbroken family miss Philip ‘every minute of every day’

Heather Capper was speaking following the sentencing of Ryan Telford, who pleaded guilty to causing Philip’s death by careless driving.

Mrs Capper said she misses her son every minute of every day - “it’s not hourly, it’s every minute”, she revealed.

Philip was just 29 years old when the tractor he was a passenger in went through a hedge and overturned on the Back Road, Drumbo, on 6 July 2018.

Tragically, Philip later passed away as a result of the injuries he sustained.

At Craigavon Crown Court on Wednesday, Mr Telford was given 240 hours’ community service and disqualified from driving for 15 months.

Paying tribute to Philip, Mrs Capper said her son was loved by everyone who knew him and was “one of the kindest men you could meet”.

“Philip was the life and soul of any party.

“It’s just heartbreaking,” Mrs Capper told the Farming Life.

“The family miss him so much, as does the community.”

Indeed, Philip was very well-known throughout the community and even further afield, as he did the milk run around Larne, Antrim and Ballyclare for Glanbia, a job he enjoyed.

He then went to work in the steel section of the company, and carried out some agricultural contracting work in the evenings.

Philip, who lived near Dromore in County Down, loved bands and was a much-cherished member of Battlehill Pipe Band, Richhill.

Just days after his funeral, at the 13 July celebrations in Scarva, the band played Philip’s favourite tune, Killaloe, as a tribute to him.

Bands and machinery were among Philip’s favourite things, his mum said.

“And, perfection and cleanliness,” she added. “Everything had to be pristine. He would use a pipe cleaner when he was cleaning his car.”

Philip was a big fan of this newspaper too, and each Saturday, without fail, he would sit down to read the farming news and would know many of the people featured.

With his dad, Howard, he would spend hours talking about lorries.

As they both worked in haulage, it was a topic they thoroughly enjoyed chatting about together – ‘trucker stories’, the family referred to them as.

Speaking about the grief she has felt since her son’s untimely passing, Mrs Capper continued: “It never goes away.

“It has never left me. You can’t just let go when you have loved a child for 29 years.

“Philip was so easy going. He is missed big time.

“He was incredibly kind and caring – extremely kindhearted.

“He was always there for everybody,” Mrs Capper added.

“He would have done anything for anyone.”

Such was Philip’s caring and selfless nature, he would carry out acts of kindness for people without saying a word - anything to help others out.

He was always thinking of other people and the ways in which he could assist them.

Philip is greatly missed every day by his family, especially his mum Heather, dad Howard, sister Joanne and brother David, as well as his many friends.