Dressed up for his sixth form Christmas party, William Hunter was looking forward to a bright future.
But just hours after the party, the talented teenager was dead. William, 16, was hit by a taxi while walking home from the party at Newcastle's Airport Hotel.
After enjoying the fun, where pals described him as the life and soul of any party, William and his friend Craig Stobbard set off to walk home.
William was killed as he tried to cross the slip road on the A696 Woolsington bypass on the outskirts of Newcastle. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The soccer-mad schoolboy's parents, Tania and Billy Hunter, yesterday spoke of their loss of the youngest of their five children.
Mum Tania said: "He was a brilliant lad and everybody loved him. We just can't believe he's gone. I just want to go to sleep and find it has all been a bad dream.
"All his friends have been round offering support. Everyone is numb."
She said Craig had tried to pull William back from the road when he tried to cross. "He thought he had him, but then heard the bang.
"At least Craig was with him when he died. He wasn't alone."
William lived for his football, and was devoted to Newcastle United. A goalkeeper since he was nine years old, William, who would have turned 17 in January, had played for teams in Gosforth and been selected for his county and school side.
For the past three seasons he was voted Players' Player by team-mates at Montagu and North Fenham Boys Club.
And after a tournament in America with the team earlier this year, William was offered a scholarship to play for a soccer team in Boston.
Montagu manager John Burragea said: "William was a fantastic goalkeeper, he had trials with Preston North End. He was a great lad and this is a terrible, terrible tragedy."
Sixth form lessons at Kenton Comprehensive School, where William was studying Sports Leadership and Engineering, were scrapped yesterday as a staff and pupils came to terms with their loss.
Headteacher David Pearmain, said: "William was very popular both with students and teachers and was a fine sportsman and a successful, hard working engineering student. He will be greatly missed by all those that knew him."