A memorial for a Welsh student who suddenly died has been vandalised

It was defaced days before it was due to open


A memorial for a Welsh student that died suddenly in 2020 has been vandalised.

Ethan Williams from Cardiff, was 22 years old when he died back in December 2020 after collapsing in the gym. His family contacted Cardiff Council to see if a memorial could be made out of a felled Californian Redwood tree could be placed in Victoria Park, near their home. According to reports, this specific tree was used as it had been felled for safety reasons.

On October 4th, the placement of the memorial began which depicted a dragon wearing a bucket hat. However, days later it was defaced.

Vandals wrote phrases such as: “If only trees provided us with oxygen to breathe” and “here once nature laid” on the memorial.

The memorial was all set to be unveiled on the 10th of October. However, less than a week after the foundation was built, it was defaced and could no longer be unveiled by the original date.

Chris Wood who carved the statue on behalf of Wood Art Works, Newport told Wales Online: “Ethan was fiercely Welsh. He loved the football, he loved rugby, he was very nationalistic,” Chris said, explaining the meaning behind the design. While the original plan had been to carve a dragon, the decision was then made to add a bucket hat in a poignant nod to the very bucket hat Ethan wore himself.”

There is currently no information publicly about the removal and repair of the memorial.

Featured image via Twitter.

Related stories recommended by this writer:

Welsh student who defaced Captain Tom memorial with faeces could face four years in prison

Welsh student arrested and charged after defacing Captain Tom’s memorial with faeces

Two Cardiff Uni students left homeless after being forced to leave mouldy Keylet flat