Westville Buddhist drowns in the UK
His parents described him as a friendly, warm and positive person who was inspirational to all around him.
FAMILY of James Ecob finally have closure after he drowned at Morecambe Bay in the United Kingdom last year.
The inquest into his death was held in Barrow Town Hall, UK on Wednesday, 13 January after his body was found on the beach at Bardsea on 2 August, 2015. It recorded a conclusion of accidental death.
James Ecob (39) was born in Durban. He matriculated at Glenwood Boys’ High School in 1994. He then worked for his family’s electrical business before following his passion in building construction. He worked for a company called Norvo for seven years and was proud of his projects, which included several wings at hospitals. One in particular was the restoration of the Addington Children’s Hospital, which he completed in 2014.
He got involved in Buddhism and joined the Kadampa Buddhist Centre in Westville before making a decision to travel on a spiritual quest to India. He resigned from work and donated his Bantam bakkie to the Kadampa Buddhist Centre before leaving on his journey.
His parents, Stephen and Carolyn Ecob, who live in Winston Park, said after travelling to India, he visited the UK for the Buddhist Summer Festival and met some people from America, who invited him over for the Fall Festival in New York. After New York, he travelled to Hong Kong, Thailand, Cambodia, India and back to SA to visit his family in April 2015.
“He decided to go back to the Summer Festival in the UK in July. While he was camping at the the festival in Ulverston, in the Lake District in the UK, we believe he went swimming in Morecambe Bay, which is notoriously dangerous because of its rip tides. Tides come in at 22km/h and are nine metres high. There were no witnesses, but we believe he was caught in the tide,” said Stephen.
James’ mother, Carolyn, said its ironic that he had travelled to all these foreign places and came back safely, as the family has been so worried, but went back to England, where the family originates from, before this tragic incident happened.
“He was a good swimmer, he even swam the Midmar Mile. He must have been caught in dangerous tides that evening. He was last seen at 9pm when he went swimming on 2 August,” said Stephen.
The news of James’ death was devastating for the families at the time. They had two memorials – one in Manchester, UK and the other at the Krantzkloof Interpretative Centre in Kloof, as he loved nature. His parents described him as a friendly, warm and positive person who was inspirational to all around him. Feedback from his Facebook pages were testimony to James’ character and personality.
“He was the most generous, open-hearted and kind man. A wonderful son, and we’ll miss him every day,” said Carolyn.
“I’m proud of my son and his achievements. He was intending on opening his own building business upon his return home and I believe it would have been a great success,” said Stephen.
James’s girlfriend, Taryn Bilson, said: “I read a passage the other day that, I feel, best described James, not just for myself, but for all of us who knew and loved him.
“‘Do not trust your mind to a role model. Such speakers are guests from outside the gate. Instead seek out the authenticity of a goal model. An authentic someone who has broken through the gate of mystery to reach the marvellous.’ – Scott Avery Gold. James was and forever will be my goal model and best friend. I loved him like no other and he will remain always in my heart and mind.”
James’ sister, Lauren Tennent, said: “Every day we miss him terribly, but he will live on as an extraordinary goal model for his niece, Jamie, and nephew, Daniel, forever.”
