A tragic loss ,R.I.P Leodhasach

[Wardy]

I've just seen this and I'm in a complete state of shock.

Just awful, terrible news and my thoughts go out to his family at this time.

I met Andrew on several occasions at meets and have known him on here for quite a few years. Always a great guy to talk to.

He'll be sadly missed.

[KenONeill]

Condolances to Murdo and Dolina from all here (meaning at my work as well as Briskoda).

[expostmanpat]

Shocking news, RIP Andrew

[cheezemonkhai]

Wow, that's not something you expect.

Hope it was nothing sinister.

[kit]

A post from the Herides News http://www.hebrides-news.com/andrew-macleod-211011.html

Another article states that he was found sat at his desk with his headfones on and his compuer on his lap :(

Just been talking to my dad in Ullapool and eveyone who works on the pier and with the ferry are all very saddend

Still having trouble thinking about this!!

K

[Big A]

I don't post much on here or on most VAG forums anymore, but felt I had to pay my respects.

He stayed in his student digs just 5 mins away from my flat, and I used to see his Fabia every morning on my way to work when he was down here during term time. I met Andrew a few times and he was such a friendly, pleasant guy. We had the odd conversation via PM and he was always eager to help and offer advice.

When my mate who runs the bodyshop where he got the work done on his car, text me on Saturday morning to tell me, I couldn't believe it.

Think the photo of his Fabia overlooking the sea to be used on the cover of the Briskoda 2012 calendar is such a fitting tribute, with maybe the final page after December simply saying:

“In memory of Andrew MacLeod” with this photo that Grizzle put up earlier

He was true gent who will be sadly missed.

RIP Andrew

God bless

[matt_theforce]

I've found reading this has been really upsetting & it's taken a few attempts to write something.

I only met Andrew once before (while he was buying his rear bumper from me) and I felt like I had known him for many years, we have kept in touch through various threads/pm's & I will never forget him offering support when we had Timmy put to rest.

I will always regard Andrew as a great friend & I feel very Proud & Privilaged to have known him. I hope where-ever he has gone he is at peace.

My sincere condolences go out to his Family & Friends in this very tragic time & I hope they know that as a community we will endevour to support them in their hour of need.

Andrew was a true gent and will be very sadly missed

Matthew

ps.. On the Calender.. +1 on his car getting his Birth month and some of the proceeds going to a charity of his families choice

[grr666]

On the Calender.. +1 on his car getting his Birth month and some of the proceeds going to a charity of his families choice

I think his car is going on the cover.

That was a moving post. I understand why it was hard to write.

I was never lucky enough to meet Andrew in person, but we exchanged PMs

and he and I chatted on here about a bunch of stuff.

Yours truly is the reason his foglamps are yellow for instance.

He actually contacted me to ask me if I minded him copying mine.

And his old pre vRS bumper foglamps are on Mrs Grrs car as we speak.

As you said, a true gent. I had hoped to meet him later in the year

as me and the Mrs were planning a road trip up to Scotland. Neither

of us have been before and wanted to experience some of the beautiful

scenery often seen in his pictures for ourselves.

Learning early on Saturday morning that he had died has really knocked

me for six. Despite never meeting him, I have felt like I'm under a black

cloud ever since. What I'm struggling with is how I feel this way about a guy

I've never met or physically spoken to. I guess that's the power of the

internet, it enables people to form bonds over huge distances without ever

actually meeting. I'm glad it's there, I would never have "met" Andrew

without it and my life wouldn't have been enriched by the interaction

I had with him.

[OctyNik]

grr666 - this has had a profound effect on me as well and can't stop thinking about it - he was one of us. A proud Skoda owner, a briskodian and petrol head. And a good egg to boot. People may baulk and say it's 'only the internet' - well the 'net is a powerful thing and IMO a friendship online commands the same gravity as a friendship in the 3D.

I wrote this (well, I took some inspiration from a song I like) and I felt it was fitting, albeit sad and very poignant.

My pal has gone.

his boots no longer by his door

he left at dawn

and as he slept we felt him go

I will not watch the ocean

My pal's gone

RIP Andrew, I really wanted to meet you and enjoyed our chatroom chats.

If it's innapropriate or too morbid feel free to tell me I'm a tactless fool and delete it.

Nikolas.

[Johnny50]

What I'm struggling with is how I feel this way about a guy

I've never met or physically spoken to. I guess that's the power of the

internet, it enables people to form bonds over huge distances without ever

actually meeting. I'm glad it's there, I would never have "met" Andrew

without it and my life wouldn't have been enriched by the interaction

I had with him.

I think that basically sums up how much of a good guy he was

I'm privileged enough to have met him many a time, he even drove all the way through from Glasgow just to see me when i bought the current Fabia.

The first time he came through, at the time my other half said she'd be proud to have a son like Andrew, so mature for his age, head switched on, instantly likeable.

His musical tastes were sometimes dubious but i reminded him of that often !

I'm hoping to try and go to his funeral when he gets home, not quite sure if there's anything we can do as a forum ? Flowers etc ??

It's a waiting game at the moment unfortunately.

Johnny

[Cheryl_88]

Such a tragic, unfair loss. God bless Andrew, sleep tight.

XxXx

[Wardy]

His musical tastes were sometimes dubious but i reminded him of that often !

That's reminded me, I'll put some Runrig on in his honour when I get home

[Johnny50]

That's reminded me, I'll put some Runrig on in his honour when I get home

[nokiauk]

I will agree with many other peoples sentiments, only met Andrew once at one of the Edinburgh Scottish meets, but had also kept up to date with his Fabia progress which was shaping up to be a great motor.

RIP Andrew.

+1 for the Calendar pic.

[Soot1e]

I'm sad to hear the loss of Andrew, I like many others enjoyed reading his posts about his trips on the ship. A lot of people miss you.

[Buster]

Very tragic loss, only just seen this and rather stunned and very saddened :(

Great guy who I never had the priviledge of meeting, my thoughts are with his friends and family.

RIP buddy.

[uncle bulgaria]

Had to read this a couple of times just to get my head round the news. So sorry for all his family and friends. Never met him face to face, but had a fair bit of dialogue on here. A young guy with so much ahead of him, tragic.

Going to take a while for it to sink in hes no longer here.

RIP mate.

[Polo6n1600i]

I'm saddened to hear of the passing of Andrew Mcleod. We had met several times - chatted via text while he was away at sea - we had even arrange a month or so ago to meet up when he was back from sea around the end of Novemeber.

I helped him fit the Mudguards to his VRS rear bumper - the look on his face when I took a stanley knife to the rear bumper and the mudguards was a classic Andrew comment of "i'm not going to watch, tell me when they are on!"

You were a true gentle man and a person that i'm glad to have known over the passed few years - you will be missed.

My deepest and heartfelt condolances to his family - I couldnt have been more honoured than to call him my friend.

[H Bomb]

This is so sad, I've talked to him a few times on the forum - mostly about our mutual fondness for Runrig of all things. Can't believe he's gone.

RIP Leodhasach, Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam

Edited 28 October, 2011 by H Bomb

[MattyD]

So sorry to hear the sad news, spoke to him once on here about his car, I think the calendar will be a fitting tribute. My thoughts go out to his family. RIP

[Beryl's Chief Pilot]

Rip Andrew, you were a true star, you will be missed.......

Cliff, thank you for the picture offer. May I suggest this on the cover.

Followed by this on the month of his birth.

Then the in Memorandum Style one on the rear. I think it would give great continuity starting & finishing with the little community in the background. We are after all a little community & look after each other & mourn the loss of one of our own.

[TissMe]

Oh my life!!!!!!

I can not believe that something so tragic can happen to such a great guy

I can say that it is my honour to meet him one , but chat on the phone.......many many times while I was selling him bits when I worked at Awesome

Oh....we did chat

Bless what a lovely guy and he LOVED his car

I am in total shock , how can anything so bad happen to a real real nice guy? :(

Will never be able to believe it

So so sad

My regards to his family , you did such a wonderfull job on this lovely guy

I can not even think about the hell that they are going through

But I hope they know how many friends he has made , even though they never met him

My thoughts are with the famil , the friends , well many are on here are are all thinking of you

Will never forget this wonderfull guy

Wow , am welling up........

You will NEVER be forgotten

Sarah

[domhnall]

This is so sad, I've talked to him a few times on the forum - mostly about our mutual fondness for Runrig of all things. Can't believe he's gone.

RIP Leodhasach, Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam

so to cap it all he had great musical taste?

Actually there's another Runrig song, written about the death of a loved one, that really seems to sum it all up. "All things must change"

The road was long

Our steps were new

The storms of innocence

Strong and fresh they blew

Directions turned

Love changing hands

We stood like gods before

Our maps and plans

But all things must change

So don't look back, just walk away

That morning dawn

With no regrets

We stood in line we laughed

In silhouette

On the learning ground

The place we loved the best

That was our final time

Out in the west

But all things must change

So don't look back, just walk away

Now the cars come like rivers

Night comes like madness

Songs come like trains

Headlights flash in the darkness

Memories twist in the rain

And we feel those flickering moments

Like silk the're the flags of our days

And the past is only the part of life

We've thrown away

The river's dark

In constant flow

Swollen by winter streams

And the melting snow

I see your face

Across the miles

To where some kindness showed

Our fate entwined

But all things must change

So don't look back, just walk away

[BIG BOSS MAN]

I met Andrew and he was a really nice guy, so sorry for his family's loss. R.I.P Andrew you will be missed.

[H Bomb]

Domhnall - I agree totally. When his gran died I told him to listen to All Things Must Change, he said it helped him. I hope it can provide some comfort to others now, at this terribly sad time. I wonder if I could get Tom Morton on Radio Scotland to play it maybe as a wee tribute?

Edited 30 October, 2011 by H Bomb