Mum pays heartfelt tribute to husband and toddler killed in Derbyshire crash

On January 15, 2022, Caroline Woodcock received the call no-one ever wants to receive.

Husband John, aged 44, and their two-year-old son Lewis, had been killed while driving home from visiting family.

John, known to friends and family as Dan, was a popular businessman, owning zero waste store Herbie’s Hemp in Sutton’s indoor market with his wife.

Family friend Emma Cheyney said at the time: “Dan was a respected and much-loved member of the local community, running a planet-friendly, zero waste shop. He and his family dedicated their lives to helping others.”

John and Lewis were travelling along Chesterfield Road North, Pleasley, just after 6.00pm – when an Audi driven by James Gibson hit their vehicle side-on.

Gibson, aged 31, had been driving on the opposite side of the road, speeding, and had also taken drugs.

He was yesterday jailed for 12 years and banned from driving for 18 years after admitting two counts of causing death by dangerous driving.

In tribute to her husband and son, Caroline said: “I would like to take this opportunity to finally say thank you to everyone who has been there for me over this past year.

“I would also like to say special thanks to the people who tried to help Louie and Dan on the night of this tragic accident, the innocent bystander, police, ambulance crew, doctors, and nurses at both King’s Mill Hospital and Queen’s Medical Centre.

“I know we didn’t get the outcome we had hoped for, but I know all these people tried their very best to help my boys.

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“The two amazing ambulance staff who were there for me while we waited, I will never forget you and everything you did for me.

“Now we have finally had the sentencing and this part is over, finally my boys can rest at peace and I and the family can try to build some sort of life where we try to come to terms with this horrific loss.”

In memory of Dan and Louie, a friend of the family has written two poems.

In Memory of Dan

So how do you put into words the man that is, that was, and that always will be John Dan Woodcock

Well you don’t, I can’t

I want to emblazon your name into the night because you burned with that delightful, raging fire

But, I cannot put you into words

What I can do is tell people how you made me feel

How you made us, collectively feel

Your open-heartedness as fluid as a bird’s wings

You knew who your tribe were and there they all were

Your ultimate goal in this life was to love ferociously, and you did it well

You made me feel like I belonged – what a gift

You made me laugh Dan,

Belly aching laughs

But what I feel more than anything is that feeling of belongingness

In the end all we have is love

And you, the mad hatter, you knew this

And so, you turn to your queen, and you say

Love doesn’t die, people do. So when all that is left of me is love, give me away.

In memory of Louie

My Darling Lewis Herbie Woodcock

I think it is fair to say, that we cannot, after all, judge a biography by its length, by the numbers of pages in it

We must instead judge, by the richness of its contents, sometimes the unfinished are amongst the most beautiful symphonies.

And you, dear Louie are amongst the most original unfinished symphony

My little ray of light,

We would play all day

Fill the house with our dreams and our stories like volcanic lava our house filled with imagination and joy.

We didn’t have time for the washing, or the cleaning, or making the dinner, caused we danced, boy did we dance and we span

And now, now my little Louie is a star

I cannot tell you which one but I will find myself standing outside, gazing at all of them

He left me a present you see, and he laughed - that is his present

Just that

You see many people have stars but for me, I shall have stars like nobody else

For when I look up at that kaleidoscopic array, I shall be waving at you, laughing with you

Dancing with you,

For you and me dear Louie, it shall be as if all the stars are laughing

And when I am consoled

Cause eventually, we will all be consoled, I will lay outside with you under the vastness of the night

Under the unfinished symphonies strumming out their original tune into the night

And I shall laugh with my little prince and his pappa bear.

I love you sweet boys and miss you every day. Rest now, rest at peace. xxx