A Fife family devastated by a horrific road accident welcomed a new life into the world the day after tragedy struck.
Jack Allardyce, who lost his brother Danny in an accident in Leven on Friday, shared the news that his wife Joni had given birth to the couple’s second daughter, Amélie, on Saturday.
“While the world has been a dark place over the past couple of days, she’s brightened it up for us,” said Jack, of North Queensferry.
The arrival of Amélie, who is a little sister to Olivia, provided the family with some much needed joy after Danny, 29, lost his life alongside Terence Thornber, 27, when the car they were in crashed into a building in Windygates Road in the early hours of Friday.
Jack and Danny had lost their mother Linda, 66, to cancer in November last year. For many years Linda had been chair of Leven’s civic week committee and she was well known in the community.
“My dad has lost his son, so soon after we lost our mum, and Amy has lost her love and the future they had planned,” said Jack.
He described the phone call from his father Gordon on Friday as the worst moment of his life.
“Dan had already done so much living in such a short space of time, but he had so much ahead of him.
“He and Amy had so much planned, and I can’t believe I won’t be able to stand next to him on his wedding day, like he did for me, or watch him raise a family of his own.
“I was really looking forward to us growing old, if not wise, together, and I feel like a large part of me is now missing.”
Jack thanked all those who had supported the family after Friday’s accident.
“Much like when we lost our mum last year, it’s been a great support to know that Dan was so loved by so many of you,” he said.
Danny, a former Buckhaven High School pupil, and Terence, who went to Kirkland High School, were familiar faces as bar workers at the likes of Agenda in Leven.
Jack added: “I like to take some credit for his abilities behind a bar, as he spent most of his teenage years pouring drinks for the boys and I.
“Truth be told, he’s spent a lot of the years since pouring drinks for us, too. He grew up into the kindest, most loving, funniest and best young man I’ve ever known – a credit to our parents and a great source of pride for my whole family.”
