Friends and family of a “unique” and “wonderful” dad and son gathered yesterday to pay their respects at his funeral after he died in a freak trampoline accident.
Rob Harcourt, 37, passed away in the arms of his loved ones last month after suffering from a "catastrophic" injury while attempting a backflip at his friend's house.
The Stockton scaffolder, who had been treated in the Intensive Care Unit at the James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough, was left paralysed from the chest down.
He later underwent a second operation to help stabilise his neck, but according to his mum, suffered a pulmonary embolism, causing a cardiac arrest and brain damage.
As a result, he had been transferred to a hospice to receive round-the-clock care but died with his family by his side shortly after.
Yesterday, (Saturday, September 10) friends and family arrived at Blue House Woodland Burials in Wingate, County Durham, where the late 37-year-old was laid to rest surrounded by friends and family.
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Many gathered with black umbrellas as the rain fell on the procession, which brought the casket to a pasture of trees nearby.
A eulogy was then read out as the procession surrounded the area where Mr Harcourt would be laid to rest.
Written by his mum Jackie Graves, the passage looked to “celebrate the life of a unique personality” and featured tributes from close friends as well.
Looking back at his birth, Ms Graves said she “remembered looking at the other babies in the hospital”
She added: “I was thinking of how their mams would be so jealous of me because I’d never seen a baby in my whole life.”
Rob’s father was not around and was brought up by his mum and her family, and was especially doted on by his Nanna.
Ms Graves continued to describe, how in his first year of school, Rob “enchanted everyone with his smile and friendly nature.”
He would also often say “hiya” to everyone he passed while out walking with his mum, and a professional photographer once asked if she had ever considered Rob becoming a child model.
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Rob was also known to have a dangerous streak, according to his mum, and would often get himself into scrapes thanks to his “climbing abilities.”
Ms Graves added: “When he was at nursery they worried about him because he would climb on everything.
“So I suppose it came as no surprise to me when he eventually told me he wanted to be a scaffolder.
“He loved heights and never saw the danger in anything and as a child, he even managed to somehow remove his own tonsils with a stick by accident while climbing on monkey bars.”
Paul Bennett, best friend of Rob, spoke of how he was “brutally honest” and that’s why he “loved him.”
He said: “Rob was one of the cleverest guys I’ve ever known, but sometimes Rob was too clever for his own good
“He always had to be right, and he usually was but I never told him that.
“Rob was my best mate, and if anyone ever hurt or upset him I would have torn them apart with my bare hands.
He added: “I always remember when I was with Rob and I had only been with my partner for a few weeks.
“I was walking her home and stopped to kiss her for the first time, and while I was kissing her, Rob pulled my trousers down.”
Ms Graves concluded: “Rob was many things to many people and I’m sure each of you here today will have a special memory of him.”
A GoFundMe which was set up to support his family has so far seen more than £10,000 raised by hundreds of well-wishers.
Rob's death has previously seen thousands of tributes paid to him online from far and wide.
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