My brother was killed in a car crash in Azerbaijan

Ever since I was born, my brother was always my best friend. He was a kind and funny person, and my idol. He was clever – a graduate from Cardiff University and was just beginning to forge a steady career in production – having worked at the London 2012 Olympics, Sochi 2014 Olympics and on numerous live events tours and festivals.

He was a beautiful man, not only in his appearance but also in his heart. He had a long and fantastic life ahead of him, I’m sure of it. But sadly, his life was cut short on the 23rd June 2015. He was working as a specialist technician at the European Games in Baku, Azerbaijan and was getting a taxi home with three other friends after a night shift. The taxi he was in had a high-speed head-on collision with a van, the impact killed Micah instantly. He was twenty-three years old.

Me and Micah in 2011

That was it, the end of our life as a happy family. I can’t describe the pain that we went through over the next few months and the pain we are still going through now. Every day I wake up and remember that he’s dead. Sometimes I dream of him, and wake up aching with the thought that that is the only way I get to talk to my big brother.

Following Micah’s death, we received no help from the European Olympic Committee, not even a letter of condolence. They seemed to have no empathy and no understanding of the responsibility they had, as Micah died working for them. We contacted the first lady of Azerbaijan countless times but heard nothing from her. Watching my mother tirelessly try and talk to these people, to then receive nothing and break down crying was unbearable to see. She lost over a stone in weight and was ready to completely give up on life.

An image circulated in the media, with Micah and one other casualty in body bags. He deserved better.

But that’s not our family – we weren’t prepared to let Micah’s death mean nothing. This is why we have started a campaign to improve road safety in Azerbaijan, so that hopefully no other families will have to go through the turmoil we have had to. We have started a twitter (@JusticeForMicah) and an online petition. Please sign the petition and follow the twitter to support our cause, it would mean so much to my family and I. If this petition means that just one life is saved, then that is enough for us, but we’re hoping for an even bigger impact than that.

The Micah I remember, my big brother

We want a response from the First Lady of Azerbaijan acknowledging Micah’s death and the letter of condolence that my family deserves. We want the organisations that put on these big events to accept their duty of care to the people working for them, and not hold these events in countries where their lives are put in danger. And finally, in lieu of the latest Formula 1 Grand Prix being held in Baku, we want them to make a change to their road safety, so that travelling tourists as well as the locals are safe from road accidents. No one else needs to die. There needs to be a change.