While no words can describe how crushed we are, Daniel fought courageously over the past eleven days which allowed everyone to say their farewells. It has also given us all strength and tightened even further the bond our family share.

Daniel was exceptional. He was a beacon of morality with a heart of gold. We are so proud of Daniel and will strive to live with the core values he possessed; respect, dignity, pride and integrity.

He was someone who had faith in anyone, which in turn, inspired people to have faith in themselves. Daniel was so caring and encouraged people to be the best they could be.

He was a friend to everyone he met. We always knew this, but it has been reinforced this week when receiving calls of support from such a vast range of people in the community whose lives Daniel had touched.

His death has left us feeling completely destroyed and has torn a hole in the wider community in which he was involved. We have been overwhelmed by support and have felt the whole country experience our grief.

We believe there is no better way of honouring Daniel’s generous and giving spirit than by donating his organs. Unfortunately there’s nothing we can do to help Daniel’s situation, but we are comforted knowing that we can help others.

Although we are absolutely devastated at the tragic loss of our Daniel, we believe by sharing such a special gift with those in need, he is well and truly living on. Most people only think about organ donation when they are forced to, but we’d like to encourage people to talk about it sooner and truly understand how important it can be for those who are seriously ill. No family should be forced to deal with this situation, however we are not the first and we fear that we won’t be the last.

We do not want Daniel’s death to be in vain and are committed to rallying for change. A positive change needs to come from such a negative situation. Daniel lived by the mantra: ‘If change can be, it’s up to me’ – and this is something we will always embrace. We would like ‘coward punches’ to be a thing of the past. People have the right to go out without experiencing mindless violence. Therefore, if you are going for a night out, please honour Daniel’s memory by thinking before you drink. Make sure your mates don’t get carried away and do anything they’ll later regret.

Finally, these incidents make you realise how fragile life can be. Go home and hug your children. Tell them you love them. Call someone you don’t call often enough.

Cherish your family and the important relationships in your life, because you never know when your loved one could be gone.