Second son killed in Thai road tragedy (From Stroud News and Journal)

Second son killed in Thai road tragedy

A HEARTBROKEN Nailworth family are trying to come to terms with a double tragedy after losing their second son in another road accident.

Mickey Cowley, 32 who was born and brought up in Nailsworth, died from head injuries after he came off his motorcycle in Hua Hin, Thailand on Easter Monday.

Mickey's younger brother Matty was just 19 when he was killed in a car accident near Stroud in 1993.

Mickey, who was the eldest of Teresa and Bob Cowley's four children attended St Dominic's Primary School and later Highwood Secondary School.

After completing his education he had various jobs. He was a butcher for a while and also worked as a carpet fitter alongside his father.

Mickey was a qualified karate teacher for which he held a black belt.

"He was a real fitness fanatic," said Mum Teresa.

"He used to go out on a morning and ask me to pick him up later. The next thing you knew you'd pull up at a traffic light and he'd be jogging past you."

Mickey also loved kickboxing, paintballing, and going to the gym. He played rugby for a local team and ran the New York Marathon last year.

In 1993 he joined the Royal Marines and was a private in the 42 Commando regiment based in Limpston, near Plymouth.

As well as serving in Northern Ireland and Gibraltor and Iraq, he was much admired as the regiment's lightweight boxing champion.

Having come out of the Marines two months ago, Mickey went out to Thailand to visit friends and fell in love with the country and the way of life.

After securing a job as an estate agent, he decided to move there to live, remaining in close telephone and email contact with his family.

Sister Mandy, 28 said: "He was a real man's man - and a real lady's man as well. He was very popular, especially in Thailand. Everybody knew him there. He was always a joker."

Mickey's other sister, Mel 25 added: "Everybody in Nailsworth is just totally gutted."

On the morning of Monday, March 27, Mickey was riding his bike home after staying at a friend's house, when he crashed, and was taken to hospital, later dying from head injuries.

It will take 7-10 days to bring his body back from Thailand. He will be buried next to his brother Matty at St Dominic's Church, Woodchester.

Mickey will be remembered as a loving and caring son, who was "always on the go and full of life", and will be sadly missed by his family and many friends.

Micky is survived by a large local family including two nephews and a niece.