Last updated 9 October, 2001

OWAIN ROLANT CLEAVER
 

Picture of Owain using a hover mower

Owain, aged 2, cutting the grass at home in Swansea
three months before he died.
(He insisted!)
This page introduces our son Owain, who was born on the 7th of November 1994 and died on January the 10th 1998.
In his three short years he made a tremendous impression on all those who came to know him directly or even heard his story, a fact we were aware of as he lived, but which was brought home to us even more by the hundreds who attended his memorial service and the thousands of pounds that flowed in to his memorial fund in lieu of flowers.

Many thanks to those of you who have sent us messages of goodwill. As we add to this and following pages we will try to paint a picture of the "little man", as some referred to him, and will detail some of the things done with the money raised in his memory.

Some new pictures are available on the main Cleaver site, and like this page, will be added to regularly, so please check back and refresh occasionally.

 

People are sometimes surprised by the photo above, but Owain was a very determined lad who wanted to do anything anyone else could do. Sometimes this was very easy to accomodate, like when he'd make sandwiches for us. Other times the results would leave you amazed, like the day I came into the kitchen to hear clunking and banging from the washing machine. Stopping the thing and getting the door open, I discovered it was full of... barbecue coal. When I asked Owain why he'd done this, he gave me a withering look and said "It was dirty, I washed it". Right. Sorry I asked. :-)
It took Owain 2 hours to do the wet, sloping, back lawn above, every last blade. I was allowed to hold the electric flex, but woe betide if I tried to take over. A few days before he died Owain wanted to get up and go to the toilet but could hardly walk, so I lifted him. He went mad, told me to put him down, and walked back to the spot he started from to make sure he walked unaided all the way.That is the measure of the guy.