'Take a picture for memories’: Tragic Tariq Khan's last words to wife

Tariq’s father, Mohammed Shorab described him as “the dearest boy – a family man, honest and hard working” .

And his sister, Nazia Khan told how their lives have been “shattered into a thousand pieces” by his death.

“Tariq was like a magnet and everyone who met him was drawn to him. He was so loved by everyone,” she said. “He was fun and cheeky with the heart of a diamond.

“He always had a huge smile for everyone. His laugh was highly contagious.”

She added that his four sons were his life, training his oldest boy Reece to become a professional boxer.

Tariq with son Reece

“He didn’t want his boys to end up on the streets with the wrong crowd so that’s why he set up the boxing gym – to take his four boys and the other kids from the area off the streets,” she said.

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In a moving statement, 36-year-old Mr Khan’s widow described the last day she spent with her much-loved husband.

Sanchia Dyson stated: “I write this with a heavy heart. It is much easier for me to keep that day buried inside as I find it just as upsetting two years on.

“May 6, 2020, is when my and the children’s lives are turned upside down without any warning. By the end of this day I lose my best friend, husband of 14 years and a father to our four children – something I never imagined to happen to us.

“I can say this was just the perfect day to begin with. The weather was lovely. We all woke up as a happy family.

“The day was planned out. I went shopping in the afternoon to buy all the ingredients to make mine and my husband’s favourite dish, homemade meat and potato pie.

“While I did the shopping, my husband Tariq was watching the kids.

“I remember shopping in the supermarket, excited in anticipation to make all the food for later on that day. We were looking forward to it – it was the month of Ramadan.

“I came back home with all the ingredients to start preparing the food. The kids wanted to go to the park to practice riding their bikes so my husband promised to take Samuel and Zakariya to the park.

“I remember being stood at the kitchen sink looking out of the window as Tariq and the kids left through the back garden gate.

“All of a sudden I knew that I had to stop what I was doing and spend quality time with him so I shouted ‘stop, I’m coming’.

“It was a last-minute decision which I will always remember as this was, unknowingly, our last time together.

“On the park I will always remember the last words Tariq said to me. He said, ‘Take a picture of me and the kids for memories’. This has always stayed with me.

“We spent about 40 minutes in the park and then walked back home. I can still remember that walking back like it was only yesterday.

“I remember a feeling of content. Everyone was just in a happy mood.

“I went back to my cooking and my husband planned on going out with the eldest two for a couple of hours before we broke our fast.

“I remember being pretty proud of myself to have all the food ready on time for a change. I was even posting my dishes on Instagram.

“I was expecting my husband and kids to be back anytime soon.

“I got a knock on the door - my neighbour Candice stood there looking like she had seen a ghost when I answered.

“She had her hands on her heart and said to me, ‘Sanchia, Tariq has been in a bad accident’.

“I said, ‘Oh, he’ll be ok though’. I was almost trying to comfort her.

“She replied, with absolute dread on her face, ‘No, he’s been in a bad accident’.

“She knew what had happened but couldn’t tell me.

“At this point another neighbour came to my front door and the two started whispering. I did start to think, what were they hiding from me?

“I said, this time with a more serious tone of voice, ‘What are you not telling me?”

Janice, my neighbour said, ‘I don’t know if this is true but I’ve read on Facebook that Tariq has passed away’.

“I threw myself back and shouted ‘no’. I got myself back up again and said, ‘It’s not true. I can’t be. It’s just Facebook’.

“My neighbour Candice took Samuel and Zakariya back to her house while Janice to me to see if Tariq was ok as I didn’t believe he was gone.

“I went to check on my husband but there was a policeman stood there blocking the entrance to the road where the accident was.

“He didn’t know what had happened. I still thought to myself, ‘He’s going to be ok’. I had hope that everything was going to be alright.

“After what felt like a lifetime of waiting to hear how Tariq is doing, a policeman came up to me and confirmed it with me.

“I went numb for a bit. It didn’t make sense. We were just together on the park. I went inside myself – I didn’t speak, didn’t really react, I was just numb.

“Then all of a sudden it hit me – he’s not coming back – and that’s when I burst into tears.

“Then I had the worst job as a parent to tell my boys that their amazing dad, who did everything for them, was never, ever coming back, he’s gone.

“I saw my boys walk in the living room. My heart was racing fast and my legs felt like jelly. The words needed to be said. I knew I was about to go through one of the toughest times of my life as a parent.

“Before I could get the words out I was hysterical. We sat together and cried and screamed so hard until there was just nothing left in.

“The following day I had the job of also telling the youngest boys, Samuel and Zakariya. I told them and they both sat hugging me so tight with tears rolling down their faces.

“They were old enough to understand but couldn’t comprehend it fully and it took a bit of time processing it all.

Tariq's resting place

“Since then I have tried to keep myself busy as much as possible. That was my way of coping. I couldn’t sit at home – it just didn’t seem right.

“Family holidays, birthdays, Christmases and Eid are always going to be very difficult for us as a family.

“It hurts to see other families have what I haven’t got anymore. I feel like my future has been robbed.

“It brings a great deal of sadness to me. I try not to think about it as much.”