My Son David by Randal Cheney

Our Son David

Before I start I would like to take a moment to say thankyou to all the staff at the following,
Stoke Mandeville Hospital, The John Radcliffe Hospital, Rayner's hedge Rehabilitation unit and the Ambulance crew all theses people don't always get the credit they deserve but in our hearts they will always be there.

As a parent you always try to keep your children out of harms way,  but as you know there are times when you just can't be there fore them this was one of those days and it's a day that I'll never forget.

My life and that of my family and friends was turned up side down on the night of the 6th of May 2009 when my son David was involved in a hit and run by a single black man who deliberately drove his car up onto the pavement and aimed his car at a group of people like a guided missile
David was hit from behind were he suffered very bad injuries as he was not able to dodge the car that was being guided towards him by a drive who had no regards for safety of anyone on that pavement on that night.

On that night David had met his friends and his younger brother Matt at the New Zealand Pub on the Buckingham Road in Aylesbury for his friends birthday drink, It was on the same night as a football match was being shown in the pub. But as the evening want on the pub got very loud so they decided to go down the road to Watermead.

They came out of the pub and began walking down towards the Horse and Jockey witch is a pub they would be go pass on the way to Watermead and as with most young people when they have been drinking they were a bit loud But as they walked along an argument started between the boys and a black man who lived at one of the houses just about two doors along from the pub.

A black man who came out of his house complaining about the noise coming from the pub after an exchange of words they carried on walking towards Watermead not thinking any more about what went on out side of the pub, They had walked all the way down and they were just passing the Horse and Jockey were the birthday boy swung on one of the hanging baskets pulling it of the wall, they had just walked past the pub when a car mounted the path and drove towards the group in a threatening manner they scattered and David ran out into the road to avoid the car and being bit drunk he would not have his whits about him, the car came of the path and went around the round about and heading the way he came drove into David tossing him up and over the car.

David got hit from behind by the car hitting the back of his head on the windshield and going over the top of the car and landing head fist a few yards down the road with a big gash on his head and a number of fractures causing a number of bleeds on the brain, it was clear to everybody that David was in a very bad way being unconscious throughout the rest of the incident David was lucky enough to have a friend who's quick thinking may have saved just saved his life.

The young man who's birthday it was went and helped David while the others called for an ambulance and police, The black man driving the car just drove off leaving David fighting for his life on the road with onlookers from the pub watching the car speeding off some trying to help and other taking the number plate of the car.

We found out latter that the black guy had called the police and said it was an accident and that he was only trying to scare them.

David was rushed to Stoke Mandeville Hospital were he spent two or more hour in A & E, being worked on by the doctors and nurse's all doing there bit to keep him alive, after about three hours once they got him stable enough he was taken to the John Radcliff Hospital were he had brain surgery, that night seemed so long as we all waited in the patients relative room and early in the morning the Doctor came in who brought us up to speed on David and not holding back on any of the information she also told us to prepare for the worst as the doctors Didn't think David would live through the night.

But David made it through the night with all the odds stacked against him and all the things that could still go wrong for him at this point only god new the out come and believe me we all done some preying that night of on form or another.

David has always been a very active young man and over the years he has help so many people in so many different ways being very good with his hands and a very keen DIY person he's help other by doing jobs that they had not been able to do them selves.

He has so many friends all of witch are so up set about what has happened to him over such a silly thing, I just can't believe that some one could get in a car and use it like a weapon and then say it was an accident must be one of the biggest cowards going..

As with most people I still can't understand why some one would use a car in the way that he did, it's like something out of a movie, just over a bit of verbal exchanges what sort of man is he that he can do this so easily.

Over the last month we have all been on tender foot hoping for the best news but all we have had so far is bad news with just a bit of good in here and there but we are all pulling for him as much as we can.
With going up to the hospital all most every day and to see David like that after knowing what he was like before is very hard to see him just

What follows next is the diary that we kept, 

There are gaps as we found it very hard to write about David and what was going on with him.

Davids Diary: 6th. June 2010

At about 23.30Hrs. on the 6th June we had a phone call from one of Davids friends saying that David has been rusted to the hospital after being nocked down by a car, I called a taxi strait away and went up to the hospital Having worked there for a few years I new were to go and when I arrived there were two police officers there and they told me what had happened so I sat on the chair out side of the A & E as they worked on David, Doctors and other staff kept going in and out of the room and I new it was bad by the way they were running in and out of the room.
Matthew and there friends arrived and they told us what had happened, Matt was very upset wiping the tears away and we all just waited. 

About two hours later one of the doctors came out and told us that they have done all they could for him and they are going to send he to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford were they are better equipped for this sort of injury, but he also said that david was so bad that he may not make it there.


After a long wait as they put all the equipment into the ambulance to keep David alive while they drive him to Oxford we followed as much as we could but they went a special way that the public can't go its just for ambulances but the drive seemed so long and when we got there David was already going into surgery, One of the staff helped us to settle down in the family room, the staff being really nice and carering but all we could do was think of David...

our fist bit of his Diary are what we sent out on face book to his friends that were eager to here news about David..

David is still alive but only just as we’ve been told by the doctors the chances of him making it through the night are very slim and it was a very long night waiting there in the family room then day break come and so did the doctor to tell us that he is still with us to the surprised of the doctors.

Over the next few days David fought, but then that’s David for you he was always a fighter to think that he is in here fighting for his life over a silly argument about something what ever.

David is still very seriously ill, But is holding his own at the moment

The doctors are keeping him asleep so that his brain can heel itself.
He is still not out of the woods yet.

Just got back from the hospital. David is doing well, slight improvement but still a long way to go.

David will be going for another scan on Monday to check if the surgery he had on Tuesday was successful.

the swelling that David had has gone down as far as I know this is a good thing but he is still critical....

David has responded to light being shone in his eyes witch is a good sign. But he’s still critical and still not awake.

David has been moving and twitching witch is a good sign so we've been told....

Going up to the hospital at 1 p.m…..

David is still out and he will be having a tube put in his throat to make it easier to breath. He's stable. still not awake but stable.

David is having a tracheotomy put in at 1pm today.. Lets hope it goes well for him........

They have done a tracheotomy on David so that he can breath easier and make it possible to wake him up.. They will try and wake him up sometime this week but it all depends on how his chest infection goes and other things.... And it will give the doctors a chance to see just how bad his injury's are and weather he will wake up? so we all have our fingers crossed.....

David is doing well we are just waiting for him to wake up now..

At the moment David has a high temperature so the fans are on and he's been given Medicine to help it but he has not woken up yet. I think we just got to wait and hope for the best.

David is still not awake so far, Taking a long time to wake up.


David has taken a turn for the worst not sure why?

David is very ill at the moment the doctor told us Not to let any one go to visit him who has a cold or virus of any kind as it will kill him. He's fighting for life at the moment and we are all pulling for him.. The next week is going to be hard.

David is fighting a bad chest infection at the moment and it could go either way.....

David is in a bad way and the doctors have restricted the visitor's to close family only. he is fighting an infection and is in a coma. They don't know if he will wake up, its a matter of waiting and hoping that he does…

David is still in a coma.... And I'm sorry that we have to stop friends from going to see David as I know David would like them to go. So that David has a better chance of survival the Doctor's ask us to stop the visitors because any one who has a cold or has been near anyone with a cold can kill David. That's how ill he is. And many thanks to all of you.

no change as yet.

Tuesday 19/5/09

David: He's still in a coma, but he is slightly better than what he was, so they are going to do a bit more surgery on him tomorrow to repair his eye socket and to replace the piece of bone they took out of his skull. Then we will have to see....

Wednesday 20/5/09

David is in surgery this morning to repair a fractured eye socket and other bits. fingers X......

David went down for surgery today! But the surgery was stopped just after it started because he started to fail, So he's bad in ICU.

David is doing a slightly better today, He's trying to wake up but its going to take a long time fore him to be fully awake. He's moving his harm a little more. so we just got to wait.....

Davids awake now but not like the way we're use to.

22/5/09 15:54

After a chat with the doctor's looking after David, We've been told that's there's a very strong possibility that David may need 24 hour care from now on. He may improve over time but it's looking very bad for David.

Sunday 24/5/09 22:05

He's moving a bit more today and showing good signs... Lets hope it carries on...


David has been move to Stoke Hospital ITU..

5/11/09

Davids now in Rayners Hedge and doing well

Wednesday, 12 May 2010

David surprised me by putting his tissue in his pocket and zipped it up.

David has just move last week to the Hillside care home and seems to be settling in OK.

Thursday, 13 May 2010

David gave me the thumps up today and he reacted to me saying “squeeze my hand and I wont ask you again today” and as soon as I said that, he stopped taking his hand away and took hold of my hand and squeezed it. His reaction was very fast the fasted I’ve seen since the accident.

Thursday, 20 May 2010

David surprised me yesterday when he took hold of the remote of his TV and tried to change the channels.. Well done david..

Friday 21 May 2010

Went to see david about 1130 am to take him a fun as the wether is getting hotter and again tonight at 8.20 p.m. On the way home from work… but he was tired so I only stayed about 15 mins…

Saturday, 29 May 2010

Went and saw David yesterday on the way home from work, He was alright and held my hand for a while I stayed until he went to sleep witch was about 15 mins…

Monday 31 May 2010

Me and Dee went to see David today and spent some time with him witch was nice.

He held our hands and seem to taking notice of what we had been talking about..

He like the TV but with his sides up he can’t see it that well. Will have to see if we can mount one on the wall for him….

Wednesday 2 June 2010

Denise went and saw David today she said he was a bit down not his happy self Don’t know why tho…. Doctor came and see David  He has a water infection again…

Thursday, 3 June 2010

Went and saw David tonight after work, He was auk probably feeling a bit low as he was wet.. He snatch a flannel from me with determination and looked at my as so he was angry.

Friday 4 June 2010

Denise went and saw David today and he was fine very active and trying to get up and trying to take off his shorts, He was probably too hot..

He has a fan in the room that we got for him..

Tuesday, 8 June 2010

Went to see david after work today and Dee was there we both sat next to him talking and David and me started to play thumps and he was very quick at play his reactions are getting faster and also he’s been trying to get up by himself.

Wednesday, 9 June 2010

Went and collected David today from Hill Side Care Home first time since he’s been at the care home, Got home ok but had a job getting him in the front door as I’ve been working trying to make it easier for getting him in but he got stuck in the dirt but we got him in OK.

Gave David a hair cut and settled him down in front of the TV but he didn’t seem interested in it much but he did put his hand on the dog when it was sat near him..

Before David was hurt he brought some items from Argos and now they are sending him threatening letters for payment we have sent letters from the hospital to them but they still keep sending him letters our friend has been dealing with them to take the strain off us.

Thursday, 10 June 2010

Denise went to see David today and said that he was not very happy, Don’t know why as he can’t talk to us.

Tuesday, 15 June 2010

Went and saw David on the way home from work left early at 19.15 instead of 20.00..

Matt and Charlie was already there and David seemed OK and smiling at Charlie..

Friday, 18 June 2010

David was tying to take off his pants last night when I went and see him, he also held my hand for a bit. When Denise went yesterday he done thumps up after she told him that Matt and Chris was doing the garden…..

Wednesday, 23 June 2010

Just to catch up on some bits.. Davis Home today and having fun with wee for some reason its not going into his bag, still will tell the staff when we get back…

David is using his left arm a lot more now and his movement is getting faster ..

Friday, 2 July 2010

Went and saw David on the 1^st of July, He seemed very active and we played thumps witch he is very good at.

He is moving he left arm really fast now and his co-ordination is much better..

Denise also said that she plays thump with him as well so I want to see if he could use a joystick… When I can buy one…

Tuesday, 6 July 2010

David was picking his noise when I entered his room today and as soon as I went in he was looking at me and followed me round to the chair, after a while Denise came in and he turned his head and looked at her.

David was laying across the bed so I straiten him up a bit,  When we lifted him up a bit he pulled down his T-shirt with his good hand and he kept doing that while we was supporting him...

Thursday, 8 July 2010

Both me and Denise are going up to Davids soon as he has an easement today at 2pm.. David is doing well and he was smiling a lot today, His smile is better as it looks like a smile now I think his facial mussels must be getting better and he’s been trying to get out of bed as you can see from this photo...

Also found out today that David is just getting over an ear infection witch has been painful for him…..

Saturday, 10 July 2010

Saw David tonight after work, He looked a lot better as we had a game of thumbs he won and he smiled alto..  I only stayed for about 20 mins…

Thursday, 15 July 2010

Went and saw David yesterday on the way home from work.. He was OK and tired so I never stayed long I got a smile out of him.. Never saw him today but Dee saw him and she said he was very happy and moving about Dee showed him a fish out of the paper and he was taking note.. Dee stayed for an hour…

Wednesday, 21 July 2010

David came home today he was good, He held the dogs collar for a while and stroked her, But he was very tired as he kept nodding off for short naps.

Bit sad when we went back as no one went with him and I felt very guilty about that.

Tuesday, 27 July 2010

Went and see David yesterday he was good but went to sleep on me so I came home….

Wednesday, 4 August 2010

Davids home and he’s just let me give him a hair cut…. Last time he wouldn’t let me….

David just beet me at arm wrestling and he had a big smile on his face.

Friday, 13 August 2010

Mist a few entries on here but Davids pop has been put back to November so we are all a bit peed off about it as we had all got ready for it..

Went and saw David today after work stayed for about 40 mins…

David was OK…

Saturday, 21 August 2010

Not seen David much this last week as work has mess up my work rata…

But I went and saw David today and we watched a movie plus Matt has a bad cold and so we’ve had t cancel his next visit to home…

Wednesday, 1 September 2010

David came home today but he was sick all over his t-shirt so me and dee put one of my t-shirts on him as they are baggy and was easy to put on him plus he helped with it witch was very good to see…. David Has been sick alto this last month and I don’t know why it may be that his feed is not being done properly but we will see how it goes…

Saturday, 11 September 2010

Over the last ten days David has been sick every time he goes out in a vehicle, I don’t know why but it is starting to get me a bit concerned about this…

Other than that he has been OK.

He’s been to John Radcliffe for his scan so they can make a bit for his head….

Monday, 13 September 2010

Went and saw David today after work, he seemed a bit down but I guess thats only to be expected.. I only stayed for a while…

Monday, 20 September 2010

Went and see david today after work, he beat me at arm wrestling again, try to get the cementing done before he comes home again...

 Thursday, 30 September 2010

Over the last few days Davids been showing some good signs He gave me a high five two days ago and today when I went to see him he didn’t seem so happy I guess he has off days too…. Still digging out the ground to cement next week I hope…

Tuesday, 5 October 2010

Went and saw David today after work, He was very happy he had a smile for me witch was good… The home had put his TV up on the wall so he could see it much better….

Wednesday, 6 October 2010

Just had the solicitor down about Davids case, he’s a very nice chat and he explained about what would be going on with david…

Sunday, 21 November 2010

Not entered anything in here for a while as been tired from work and other stuff but all is well David goes into hospital on Wednesday 24^th Nov. 2010 and has his surgery on the 25^th to have his skull repaired at long last… he will look more like him self then….

Over the last few weeks I’ve been working in the front garden digging out and getting ready to cement on Thursday 26^th Nov. 2010… this is so we can get Davids wheelchair in the front door easier as the local council said that it wasn’t worth doing it was a waste of money SO FUCK! THEM…..

Wednesday, 24 November 2010

Well for the third time Davids Surgery was cancelled today after we were all set to have it done.. But we are all ready to do the cementing tomorrow….

Monday, 29 November 2010

Saw David today, He was in good spirits and smiling a lot.. Still not talking itch is a shame as I miss our chats.. The nurse said that he can take his socks off and put them back on again with a bit of a struggle… Don’t know what to get him for Christmas though…

Wednesday, 8 December 2010

Went and see David yesterday he seemed happy but the nurse did ask if we think David was feeling unwell  but he seemed OK to us so they are going to get the doctor in to check him out…… still don’t know what to get him for Christmas….

Thursday, 9 December 2010

Davids Birthday today and he seems very happy as we got him some CD’s and a DVD..

Also we were told that some one has been taking stuff out of his room so we are going to look into that….David can feel his right foot now, when you tiggle his foot he reacts witch is a good sign…..

Sunday, 19 December 2010

Davids doing well, he should go to hospital on Tuesday 21^st but we’ve had a lot off snow so I don’t  know if he will get there as its in oxford and the roads are very bad… so we are hoping it will all work out OK….

Wednesday, 22 December 2010

David went to the John Radcliffe Hospital, yesterday and got settle into room 10…  and he went into surgery about 3pm and he’s still in there at 8pm so we are all a bit on edge about it.. 5 hours is a long time as it was only to take about 3 hours he was a lot longer…

Will ring again in a bit…

Thursday, 23 December 2010

Davids surgery did not go well yesterday we rang them last night about 9pm and they said that he had an epe-fit a lot he was in ITU from there on and at 03.30 Hrs. They rang us to say that they had to rush him into surgery again as he had got worse over the last few hour……

I feel like a part of me is about to go fore ever if that happens I don’t know what I would do.. Me and David had been getting on so well he wasn’t just my son but a friend as well like my other sons we got on so well….. 

It hard trying to type with tears in my eyes

Friday, 24 December 2010

David passed away at 15.56hrs on 23^rd December 2010. And I feel like a part of me has gone  forever all the Doctors and nurses at the John Radcliffe Hospital done there best to save David but it was not…

There is only one person to blame for his Death and that is (Michael Johnson) 

The police have been in touch with me about the case and they are going to look into it and see what they can do….

Saturday, 25 December 2010

I was going to end the Diary at Christmas 2010 but I think I shall keep it going as you never know just whats going to happen, I never new just how many friends David had but as I’ve been putting it all on face-book all davids friends have been so kind and friendly when David passed away I text the police voicer who had dealt with David when it first happened, she was on holiday but she went into work or phone and they are going to have a Home Office autopsy so it looks like the black man who ran David down just mite with any luck get done for it….

Sunday, 26 December 2010

Boxing day and I’m missing David like crazy, Christmas was always a good time with David he love Christmas…. Can’t really get into the mood of Christmas this years…

Tuesday, 4 January 2011

Police rang today and said that there is still nothing they can do to this black man why ran David down.. Also the coroner rang to let us know about the inquest and other things… and about the post mouton witch is going to be done one Thursday or Friday..

Thursday, 6 January 2011

Had the police round today and they explained why they could not do any thing over Davids accident, Basically it was down to the public prosecution services so I’ve sent the DDP an email about his case..

We got this back the same day...

Dear Mr Cheney

Thank you for your email dated 6 January 2011, the contents of which I note.

I am now referring your enquiry to the Charging Manager to look into the issues you raise and reply to you direct.

Yours sincerely

Thames Valley Complaints Co-Ordinator

Well so much for that.. what a waist of time..

David has had his autopsy done and they have released David so we can get on with the funeral now… 


Funeral is on the 21^st Jan 2011 @ 12.15

Police called just to tell us that Davids inquest is on the 7 Th. June 2011

Davids funeral is on the 21^th Jan 2011 @ 12.15pm. And the location Amersham Crematorium

David was cremated yesterday @ 12.15 he had a really good send off with many of his friends there and drinks afterwards witch he would of liked….



we had a letter back from the public prosecution services saying that they could not fined any records about Davids case at the police station..

So much for the british justice system...

Now all we have is this grave marker and our memories..

Even after years we have never had any apology from the black guy..