Ian Collins 
Ian was born on Friday 13th October 1978 in Sheffield’s Netheredge Hospital; the first-born child for Kevin and Sue Collins. He then became a big Brother to Lee and Tracey. Ian loved his family and would do anything for them, from helping his Dad at work when needed or just popping to the local shop for his mum. He always played the big brother role very well, he was very protective, a torment, but most of all you knew he was there if you needed him.
Ian was always a very active, sporty and competitive person; as a child he played football for Harthill Dynamos, and took on Karate at the age of 11, achieving his black belt. Most of all Ian loved to run, he ran for the Worksop Harriers and held Wales High School 400m Record for some time. You would often see him running through the village in his fluorescent coloured shorts. At weekends when he was back home he would run from our home in Kiveton Park all the way to Brinsworth to see his grandparents.
After leaving Wales High School Ian decided to join the army, his first regiment with the Royal Engineers. Ian had always been a bit of a daredevil and nothing seemed to faze him, Ian wanted to complete a bungee jump much to his mum’s horror, little did she know that Ian would end up jumping out of planes as he joined 9 Parachute Regiment.
Ian completed tours of Northern Ireland, Kosovo and Macedonia during his time in the Army. We have been told stories from his friends who said that Ian was always quick to volunteer for duties while away even when it wasn’t his turn to do so. Ian was based in Aldershot and spent the weeks down there, but at weekends whenever he could he always made the journey home so he could see his family, friends and Girlfriend. He was the life and soul of the party and loved to order champagne on some of his nights out and have what he would call his Hollywood moments.
On the 27th August 2001 whilst on a peace keeping mission in Macedonian he was driving an officer to a meeting, when the vehicle he was driving was struck by rocks that were thrown by local teenagers. Sadly, Ian was struck on the head by one of the rocks which resulted in severe head injuries and he passed away on the first day of the mission, at the age of 22.
Ian would have celebrated his 40th Birthday on the 13th October this year. He is deeply missed by all his family and friends and his memory is kept alive by all the happy/funny moments we shared with him, we are all super proud of him and we are honoured to be able to call him our Son, Brother, Uncle and Friend.
The Collins Family, 2018.
