The family of tragic Aberdeen schoolboy Bailey Gwynne have paid tribute to their “beautiful boy” one year on from his death.
The 16-year-old teenager was stabbed to death by a fellow pupil at Cults Academy on October 28 last year.
His killer, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was locked up for nine years after he was found guilty of culpable homicide.
In the year since their son was killed, Bailey’s family have gone through a great number of ordeals.
Tonight, on the anniversary of his death, they have paid tribute to their “special son.”
Bailey’s family said: “There are no words to truly express how we feel about what happened to Bailey a year ago and in truth it is too painful to try. Our hearts will always be with our boy.
“There are also inadequate words to truly express how highly we think of those who tried to help Bailey on that day. They gave everything they could of themselves and showed a level of care, compassion and determination that we will never forget.
“We have met many people over this time from first aiders, NHS staff and police who do a remarkable job everyday and we can only thank them.
“We would also like to thank Andrew Lowe.
“We have always considered him with the utmost trust and respect. It is a dearly held belief that it is our duty as adults and as a community to make sure that school is a truly safe place for all of our children.
“We have always understood why in the circumstances there would be press interest. However, what can feel lost in that process is that Bailey was a real child.
“A child, who means the world to his family and to his friends. A boy with dearly held dreams, with a gentle heart, comic timing and an astronomical appetite.
“Our beloved boy who we were blessed to have for those sixteen years and is still the cherished centre of his family.
“For his family and friends it is a harrowing task to share him with newspaper pages. It is from that that we want to reclaim him.
“There is so much more to Bailey than the event that took him from us. Bailey’s loss is the source of our pain but that Bailey was ours and that we love and remember him is the source of our strength.
“It is through remembering all of the beautiful qualities that make him such a special boy to us that we will find a path forward.
As a family we will always strive to be a credit to Bailey in the very same way that he is to us. We couldn’t have asked any more of him.
“Our true gent and our beautiful boy. We’re proud of you, Bailey boy.”
