Latest news with #GaryKelly
STV News
41 minutes ago
- Sport
- STV News
Thousands raised for family of ice hockey star who died at Ibiza hotel
Over £8,000 has been raised for the family of a Dundee ice hockey player who died at a hotel in Ibiza. Gary Kelly died while on holiday at the Ibiza Rocks Hotel in San Antonio in the early hours of Monday morning after reportedly falling from the third floor. Tributes poured out for the 19-year-old, with his team, Aberdeen Lynx, describing him as one of their 'brightest young stars' while his girlfriend, Louise Essery, said he had been 'inspiring'. A fundraiser was launched on behalf of the family on Tuesday, which read: 'We are all feeling the loss of young Gary Kelly. 'And I know you can't put a price on life, but hopefully we can help the family through this as a nicer young man and family you would struggle to find.' The GoFundMe has so far raised £8,234. You can donate to the cause here. 'I never thought I would be sat here writing a goodbye,' Gary's girlfriend, Louise Essery, wrote in a post on Facebook. 'For those who knew Gary, oh you were so lucky. His passion and dedication was inspiring, whether in hockey, work, or with loved ones. I'm struggling to understand how you are no longer with me. 'It hasn't really hit me yet. Gary taught and showed me valuable lessons that I'll carry with me forever. I think it's important to remember the good times and to celebrate the love he brought into our lives. 'Everything feels heavy, and words can't express the love I have for Gary. I wish you could see how much you are loved. Even though our experiences together have paused, the memories we made will stay with me forever. I miss you so much already. 'Thank you for the kind messages about Gary; they mean a lot. 'I love you forever and always, Gary Kelly.' The teenager died exactly two weeks after fellow Scot Evan Thomson, 26, who also fell from height at the Ibiza Rocks Hotel. The hotel has suspended all events following the deaths 'out of respect for those involved' and says it will fully assist authorities. A spokesperson for the Guardia Civil on the island added: 'For now, it appears to have been an accident. As always, an investigation is underway, and we're awaiting an autopsy to determine the cause of death with certainty.' STV News is now on WhatsApp Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News
Scottish Sun
an hour ago
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Family of Scots ice hockey star, 19, who fell to his death in Ibiza say ‘our hearts are shattered'
A fundraiser in memory of Gary has already raised thousands of pounds 'FOREVER OUR BOY' Family of Scots ice hockey star, 19, who fell to his death in Ibiza say 'our hearts are shattered' THE heartbroken family of Scots ice hockey star who tragically fell to his death in Ibiza have told how their "hearts are shattered". Gary Kelly, 19, from Dundee, died after plunging from a third-floor balcony at the party hotspot Ibiza Rocks Hotel in San Antonio in the early hours of Monday morning. Advertisement 5 Gary Kelly, 19, died after falling from a third-floor balcony at an Ibiza hotel Credit: Facebook 5 He was pronounced dead at the scene of the Ibiza Rocks Hotel Credit: Darren Fletcher 5 The San Antonio party spot is the same hotel where Scots holidaymaker Evan Thomson fell to his death Credit: Darren Fletcher He is the fourth person to die at the hotel since late April. Just two weeks ago, 26-year-old Evan Thomson from Aberdeen suffered a similar fate at the same venue on July 7. Following the deaths of the two Scots holidaymakers, Ibiza Rocks has suspended all party events at the resort. Police have not yet confirmed whether Gary had been drinking or taking drugs before the fall. Advertisement Tributes have poured in for Gary, who played for Dundee Stars and Aberdeen Lynx last season. His devastated older sisters shared emotional messages online. Kharis Kelly wrote: 'Our hearts are shattered beyond words. 'Our handsome boy has gone to the other side. Absolutely no words. Advertisement 'We are asking everyone to respect our privacy as a family while we try to navigate through this tragic news. 'You'll forever be our boy, Gary. Sleep tight.' Tragic Accident: British Tourist Falls to Her Death in Ibiza Sister Paige Kelly added: 'I don't think this pain will ever stop. 'I don't know how the f**k we're gonna do life without you, Gary. Advertisement 'The life, the soul of everything—you were just so pure, would do anything for your family, friends, and Louise. 'Aww Gary, I wish it was all a dream. 'Like my sister said, please, everyone, respect our privacy and let us process this all and grieve for our baby boy. 'I love you so much Gary, and I'll look after everyone for you. Forever in my heart, my brother—I'll never forget you.' Advertisement We previously told how Gary's grieving girlfriend, Louise Essery, paid tribute to her partner, saying: 'The memories we made will stay with me forever. I miss you so much already.' Floral tributes have been laid outside Dundee and Aberdeen arenas in memory of the popular player. 5 Tributes have flooded in for ice hockey star Gary on social media 5 And a GoFundMe page has has already raised thousands of pounds in his memory Credit: Facebook Advertisement A GoFundMe page set up earlier today has already raised thousands of pounds to support his grieving family. It reads: 'We are all feeling the loss of young Gary Kelly. And I know you can't put a price on life. But hopefully, we can help the family through this as a nicer young man and family you would struggle to find.' Police on the Balearic party island have now launched an investigation into Gary's death. The Civil Guard confirmed: "We are investigating the death of a 19-year-old British man at a hotel in San Antonio in Ibiza. Advertisement "The alarm was raised around 12.40am this morning. "Our officers were sent to the scene but the man in question was already dead by the time help arrived. "The fall was from from the third floor of the hotel to an outside part of the complex. "Court officials authorised the removal of his body at 2.40am this morning. Advertisement "The fall could be accidental based on the early information obtained from cameras but as part of the investigation possible witnesses will need to be located and interviewed. "The results of the post-mortem will also be important to the investigation.' Ibiza Rocks released a statement this afternoon which states that they have suspended all their events. It read: "We are deeply shocked and devastated by the recent incidents that have tragically occurred. Advertisement "Our priority is to support those affected and their loved ones during this incredibly difficult time, and to fully assist the authorities with their investigations. "The safety and wellbeing of our guests has, and always will remain, our highest priority. Given the seriousness of the situation and out of respect for those involved, we believe it is right to pause our advertised events programme at this time. "All customers will be informed directly via email." Advertisement A spokesperson for the UK Foreign Office said: 'We are supporting the family of a British man who has died in Spain and are in contact with the local authorities.'
Daily Record
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Pals of teen who fell to his death at Ibiza Rocks raise £4,000 for his family
Scots ice hockey star Gary Kelly, 19, tragically fell to his death at Ibiza Rocks Hotel on Monday morning - the second Scottish tourist to die at the hotel in a fortnight. A fundraiser to support the family of a Scottish teenager who died after plunging from the third floor at Ibiza Rocks Hotel has raised more than £4,000 in just five hours. Gary Kelly, 19, died instantly in the fall at the four-star hotel on the party island during the early hours of Monday. Two ambulances were sent to the scene but paramedics say there was nothing they could do to save him. Holidaymaker 26-year-old Evan Thomson, from Aberdeen, died at the hotel under similar circumstances just two weeks ago. Gary's family has been left heartbroken by the events, which are being investigated by British police. A fundraiser has since been set up in his name to support his loved ones. A statement on the GoFundMe reads: "We are all feeling the loss of young Gary Kelly. And I know you can't put a price on life "But hopefully we can help the family through this as a nicer young man and family you would struggle to find." Tributes flooded in from Gary as the news broke of his untimely death earlier this week. Writing online, his sister Kharis Kelly said: "Our hearts are shattered beyond words. Our handsome boy has gone to the other side, Absolutely no words. We are asking everyone to respect our privacy as a family while we try to navigate through this tragic news. You'll forever be our boy Gary, Sleep tight." His girlfriend Louise Essery published a tribute to Gary, who she described as inspirational across every area of his life. She said: "I never thought I would be sat here writing a goodbye. For those who knew Gary, oh you were so lucky. His passion and dedication was inspiring, whether in hockey, work, or with loved ones. I'm struggling to understand how you are no longer with me. "It hasn't really hit me yet. Gary taught and showed me valuable lessons that I'll carry with me forever. I think it's important to remember the good times and to celebrate the love he brought into our lives." Gary, who played ice hockey for both Dundee Stars and Aberdeen Lynx last season, was remembered as a 'hugely talented and charismatic individual'. A statement from Dundee Stars said: 'We are truly devastated to learn that Gary Kelly has tragically passed away. We send our thoughts and condolences to Gary's family, partner, and all his friends at this extremely difficult time. 'Everyone at the club including players, staff, management, and ownership are heartbroken to hear this tragic news. Gary was a hugely talented and charismatic individual who had a great future ahead of him. 'His loss will impact many in the ice hockey community and beyond. He will be sadly missed. We respect and support the family's request for privacy at this extremely difficult time.' A spokesman for the Civil Guard said: 'The fall could be accidental based on the early information obtained from cameras but as part of the investigation possible witnesses will need to be located and interviewed. The results of the post-mortem will also be important to the investigation.' Ibiza Rocks has since suspended all events in the wake of the two tragedies. A statement from the hotel on Monday afternoon read: "We are deeply shocked and devastated by the recent incidents that have tragically occurred. "Our priority is to support those affected and their loved ones during this incredibly difficult time, and to fully assist the authorities with their investigations. "The safety and wellbeing of our guests has, and always will remain, our highest priority. Given the seriousness of the situation and out of respect for those involved, we believe it is right to pause our advertised events programme at this time. "All customers will be informed directly via email." Donate to the fundraiser here.
Daily Mirror
3 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Inside notorious Ibiza Rocks Hotel from 'all night chaos' to 'no control' as four die
Two young men have died in the last two weeks after falling from the balcony at Ibiza Rocks Hotel in San Antonio, which is known for its live music and vibrant atmosphere but has now been dubbed a 'death hotel' The notorious Ibiza Rocks Hotel has faced another tragedy after a Brit holidaymaker fell to his death from the hotel's balcony. Gary Kelly, 19, was visiting the Spanish island when he fell from the third floor of the four-star Ibiza Rocks Hotel just after midnight on Monday. Two ambulances were sent to the scene, but paramedics said there was nothing they could do to save him. A spokesman for the Civil Guard confirmed this morning: 'We are investigating the death of a 19-year-old British man at a hotel in San Antonio in Ibiza. The alarm was raised around 12.40am this morning. 'Our officers were sent to the scene but the man in question was already dead by the time help arrived. The fall was from from the third floor of the hotel to an outside part of the complex. Court officials authorised the removal of his body at 2.40am this morning. Brit teen who fell to death from Ibiza Rocks Hotel identified as ice hockey star Ibiza Rocks Hotel in second tragedy as another young Brit falls to his death 'The fall could be accidental based on the early information obtained from cameras but as part of the investigation possible witnesses will need to be located and interviewed. The results of the post-mortem will also be important to the investigation.' Well-placed sources confirmed the hotel where the tragedy occurred is the famous Ibiza Rocks Hotel in San Antonio. The source said: 'The post-mortem will help to determine if the man who died had consumed alcohol or taken drugs beforehand and in what quantities.' The teen's tragic death comes just a fortnight after Scottish holidaymaker Evan Thomson lost his life after falling from his sixth-floor balcony at the same hotel while celebrating his 26th birthday with friends. Evan was pronounced dead at the scene after medics rushed to the hotel at around 6am on July 7. Friends and family of Evan blasted bosses over how the aftermath of his death was handled, and claimed the hotel resumed normal operations less than 90 minutes after his traumatic death. They were enraged by social media posts allegedly uploaded hours later advertising their next pool party. They also claimed they sat in an office "without answers" for an hour after they were informed of Evan's death before being allowed back to their rooms. Pals of the Brit said they were told to pack up their belongings before being transferred to another nearby hotel. Evan's sister Teila said: 'Ibiza is known for its partying and it just stuns me that they don't have higher safety precautions. Pray nobody else suffers. And, once it did happen, the hotel's response was just completely heartbreaking; almost as if it never happened. I pray no other family has to go through this." Remi Duncan, 23, said: 'It was disgusting. There was minimal respect for the situation, considering the music went back on soon after Evan had died. It puts a pit in your stomach.' In April a 33-year-old British woman died at the Ibiza Rocks Hotel. Local police and paramedics rushed to the hotel, situated just metres from one of the world 's most famous sunsets, after the alarm was raised around 6.30pm on April 30. Emergency responders confirmed when they arrived the holidaymaker had gone into cardiac arrest and spent around 40 minutes practicing CPR on her to try to revive her. She was declared dead at the scene after efforts to save her life proved unsuccessful. Well-placed sources said at the time there was nothing pointing to the death being suspicious. On April 27 a 19-year-old Italian tourist of Turkish origin plunged to her death from the fourth-floor at the same hotel. She had flown to the island the previous day and gone out partying. She was said at the time to have tried to been trying to reach her room via a balcony from a shared area of the hotel after realising she didn't have her key card when she lost her footing and fell. Her lifeless body was discovered around 9am on April 27. In light of Gary's death, Ibiza Rocks hotel has suspended its events as authorities conduct their inquiries. A statement read: "We are deeply shocked and devastated by the recent incidents that have tragically occurred. Our priority is to support those affected and their loved ones during this incredibly difficult time and to fully assist the authorities with their investigations. "The safety and wellbeing of our guests has and always will remain our highest priority. Given the seriousness of the situation and out of respect for those involved we believe it is right to pause our advertised events programme at this time. All customers will be informed directly via email." The Ibiza Rocks Hotel, a hotspot known for its live music poolside events featuring top artists and DJs, is a magnet for British holidaymakers. The venue boasts a large pool, sun terraces, bars, and entertainment, drawing in young Brits with its vibrant atmosphere. Tourists are often seen dancing on balconies up to six floors above the music stage or in the swimming pool, often while intoxicated. One person who stayed there "many years ago" told the Mirror: "It was full of 18-24 year olds, girls were more interested in their looks etc than getting drunk but the boys were getting very drunk and high. Drugs were most of the problem. I actually saw the body of a teenager lying on the ground after he fell from the balcony of a hotel nearby. It turned out he was the precious son of a good family who was on his first boys holiday and was a talented rugby player." They added: "The main trouble is ketamine - it makes users hallucinate and feel invincible. Spanish police once said it was main reason for the balcony deaths - and the fact that guys try to get to each other balconies for a laugh. It has not changed sadly." Former guests at the hotel have shared their thoughts on social media. One partygoer wrote: "It's a really fun place… until it isn't. It's 24/7 carnage, just party after party with everyone dancing on balconies or swimming in pools even though they're wasted." Another expressed on X: "This place needs shut down! The stories that are coming out and the way they treat their guests is appalling! A pattern like this shows serious safety failings but they continued business as usual and now unfortunately another young man has died! Heartbreaking." Someone else commented: "The balcony railings are far too low it seems to me." Another fumed: "How many people need to die before you ACTUALLY do something about the safety of your hotel! absolutely ridiculous!!!!! Rest in peace Evan, so lucky to have known you." On TripAdvisor, yet another slammed: "A horror, to flee absolutely!! Hotel just horrible. Customers are disrespectful and there is no control or oversight by staff. If you want to spend a sleepless night, you've come to the right place: it's noisy, poorly insulated, and chaos reigns all night. No respect for the rest of others. A frankly unpleasant experience from start to finish. Go your way!" In a review from August last year one holidaymaker wrote: "DECADENT! Hotel is full of drunk people screaming and shouting 24/7 - security is rude and they don't have control over it". Despite concerns being raised, the hotel has previously received a huge number of positive comments following a stay at the party hotel. One traveller wrote on Tripadvisor: "Wow!!! I have just got back from 4 nights @ Ibiza Rocks and it has been INCREDIBLE! I travelled alone with a friend meeting me out there later in the week!" A second added: "This hotel is absolutely wild and is totally for the party goers in Ibiza. There is music daily. The hotel is very clean, staff are fabulous and so accommodating. I was expecting a very young crowd here but surprising the age group was late 20's to mid 40's which was great. It was definitely an experience". A third shared: "Stayed for a hen party with a group of 15 girls - hotel was fantastic, rooms were clean & staff were really friendly & helpful - highly recommend the rooftop room for hens was so great having the extra space! The chill pool is so good, prices there are so reasonable too - shop on site and also right opposite with everything you need - walking distance to everywhere you want to go that side of the Island!"
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Ibiza Rocks cancels all events after two British men die at resort in a fortnight
A popular Ibiza hotel has cancelled all of its upcoming events after two British men died in separate incidents in the space of two weeks. Gary Kelly, a 19-year-old ice hockey player from Scotland, died at Ibiza Rocks hotel on Monday. His death came just two weeks after another Scottish tourist, 26-year-old Evan Thomson, died after falling off a balcony on 7 July. Rapper Dizzee Rascal and drum and bass band Rudimental were set to take the stage in the famous resort this week, but both performances have been cancelled. The hotel said its advertised events would be cancelled due to the 'seriousness of the situation and out of respect for those involved'. It added in a statement: 'We are deeply shocked and devastated by the recent incidents that have tragically occurred. Our priority is to support those affected and their loved ones during this incredibly difficult time, and to fully assist the authorities with their investigations. 'The safety and wellbeing of our guests has, and always will remain, our highest priority.' The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said it is supporting the families of two British men who died in separate incidents in Spain, adding that it is in contact with local authorities. Mr Kelly played for the Dundee Stars, which said it was 'truly devastated' to hear of his passing. 'Everyone at the club including players, staff, management, and ownership are heartbroken to hear this tragic news,' it added. 'Gary was hugely talented and charismatic individual who had a great future ahead of him. His loss will impact many in the ice hockey community and beyond. He will be sadly missed.' The Aberdeen Lynx Ice Hockey Team said it was 'heartbroken' to hear of the death of 'one of our brightest young stars'. 'Gary was more than just a talented hockey player — he was a young man full of heart, passion, and dedication. On the ice, he gave everything he had. Off the ice, he brought energy, kindness, and an infectious love of life that lifted everyone around him. 'He wore his heart on his sleeve, and that spirit left a lasting mark on our team, our club, and everyone who had the privilege of knowing him. 'Rest easy, Gary — you will always be one of our brightest stars.' Other ice hockey teams including The Whitley Warriors, for whom Mr Kelly played briefly, and The Glasgow Clan, also paid tribute to Mr Kelly. Earlier this month, Lel Kellighan, mother of Evan Thomson, confirmed his death on social media. 'I'm absolutely heartbroken to write and tell you all, earlier this week my son Evan was in a tragic accident whilst on holiday with his friends in Ibiza and sadly passed away,' she said. 'We are all absolutely broken. Please allow us some time.' Solve the daily Crossword
