Tributes to devoted dad Graham Clark
Nov 27 2008 by Sam Wood, The Journal
A YOUNG mother whose fiance was killed in a workplace accident spoke of her heartbreak that he will not see his children grow up.
Graham Clark, 21, of South Shields, was killed earlier this year when he fell around 15ft from his ladder while working as a window cleaner.
His girlfriend, Katie McGovern, 18, was looking forward to a happy future with her partner and their young family.
The couple, who has just become engaged, had a son, Mason, now one, and were expecting their second child.
Little Rihanna was born just weeks after Mr Clark was killed.
Speaking from her mother’s home in Linthorpe Court, South Shields, yesterday, Miss McGovern said she had been left devastated by her loss and paid tribute to devoted dad Mr Clark.
She told The Journal: “He loved being a dad so much, he used to play with Mason all the time.
“He was a great dad, I never had to ask him to do anything, he would just get on with things and he worked hard to earn money for us.
“When we found out I was pregnant for the second time, he was delighted.
“We had found out I was having a girl just before Graham died.
“He used to sit and stroke my stomach and call the baby his little princess.
“I feel so sad when I see the children developing and realise that Graham will not see any of it.
“Mason looks at pictures of Graham all the time and goes Dada and he looks behind the pictures as though he thinks his dad will be there.” Mr Clark had been working as a window cleaner for almost a year when his ladder slipped while working at a house in South Shields.
He was treated at Newcastle General Hospital on a life support machine after suffering a fractured skull, swelling of the brain and lung injuries.
The machine was switched off on June 4 when Mr Clark failed to respond to treatment.
Just months earlier, he had proposed to Miss McGovern.
She said: “We were so happy, we thought we were going to spend the rest of our lives together.
“When I first heard Graham had had an accident I just thought he had broken his arm or something.
“But I realised it was serious when a cousin called and told me he had hit his head.
“I was scared to go and see him at first. He was on a life support machine for five days when the doctors said there was nothing they could do for him.
“I cried for about two weeks nonstop afterwards.
“I still find it hard to cope now, especially with two young children.
“But my parents and Graham’s parents have been great and really supportive.
“I’m hoping to go back to college next year to study art and media. I’ve always been interested in art.”
