Giovanna Chirico, the fiancee of a Shoreham air crash victim, Mark Trussler has said that his final words to her before he died were “I love you forever”.
She received the message in a text sent before the Hawker Hunter jet plummeted on to the A27 in West Sussex, killing 11. The vintage plane failed to pull out of a loop-the-loop during the Shoreham airshow, instead crashing on to the road.
Chirico said that Trussler, 54, a window cleaner, had taken his motorbike for a spin because he wanted to see the flight of a Vulcan bomber at the airshow.
In an emotional tribute released through Sussex police, she said: “It was a nice day and I texted him when the flight was due. He replied saying I should get the kids ready so we could take them out to lunch on his return. I said I loved him and he replied ‘I love you too, forever’. I didn’t hear from him again.
“He was an amazing dad who had a passion for motorbikes and rugby. He would do anything for his kids and they couldn’t have asked for a better dad. He was happy-go-lucky and if you were down, he would cheer you up. We are going to miss him terribly.”
Trussler, from Worthing, leaves six children: Samantha, Kaitlin, Luke, Mia, Sophia and Alicia. Samantha said: “My dad was my best friend and the best father anyone could ask for. He would always make me laugh with his silly jokes. I will painfully miss him every day. I am very proud to be his daughter. He was loved by so many.”
The tributes to Trussler were released as the A27 near Shoreham was partially reopened to traffic for the first time since the air crash. Two lanes have been opened on the eastbound carriageway towards Brighton, along with one on the westbound carriageway, according to Sussex police. The other westbound lane remains closed while investigators continue to work on the verge. A 40mph speed limit has been imposed, police added.
Thousands of people from communities touched by the crash gathered at memorial events at the weekend. A minute’s silence was observed at 1.20pm on Saturday, the time that the plane had crashed the previous week. A mass balloon release was held in Littlehampton, while large crowds gathered with tealights to create a striking “bridge of light” across the Adur ferry bridge.
Penelope Schofield, the West Sussex senior coroner, has announced that all victims have been formally identified and their families informed.
Inquests will be opened and adjourned on Wednesday at County Hall North in Horsham where all 11 victims’ names will be officially released.
The victims include Tony Brightwell, 53, from Hove, a healthcare manager for Sussex partnership NHS foundation trust and Brighton and Hove city council. Mark Reeves, 53, who had parked his motorbike on the outskirts of the Shoreham airshow to take photographs of the planes, is also among the dead.
Other victims include Worthing United footballers and best friends Matthew Grimstone and Jacob Schilt, both 23, who were on their way to play in a match.
Matt Jones, 24, a personal trainer, also died, as did Maurice Abrahams, 76, a wedding chaffeur and former soldier who had served in the Parachute Regiment.
The sister of Daniele Polito, from Worthing, wrote on Facebook of her “last few painful days” and the loss of her brother. Police have yet to officially confirm his death.
The plane wreckage has been sent to Farnborough, Hampshire, where the Air Accidents Investigation Branch will investigate the cause of the crash. An interim report is due in the next few days.
The jet’s pilot, Andrew Hill, was left fighting for his life after the crash and has been moved to a specialist hospital for treatment.