A paramedic who died after being swept into the sea has been described as an outstanding father with a sense of fun and zest for life.
Peter Trudgill died last week after being washed into the sea at Stonehaven.
The 43-year-old, who is thought to have been taking photographs of the waves, was in the icy water for more than half an hour and although he was airlifted to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, later died.
Yesterday Mr Trudgill’s family said he spent his 20-year career with the Scottish Ambulance Service helping people in difficult situations, from delivering babies to dealing with strokes and heart attacks.
Parents Jean and David and wife Anne-Marie also said a heartfelt thanks to everyone who tried to save his life, including a police officer and two members of the public who went into the water to try and pull him back to shore, and those who cared for him at the hospital’s critical care ward.
In a statement, his family thanked their many friends for kind messages of sympathy, food parcels, flowers and help looking after his twin daughters Abby and Keira.
It continued: “Pete was genuinely caring and committed to his job and his calm demeanour in any circumstances made him an exceptional paramedic. He was a union representative helping many colleagues and was held in high regard. On an almost daily basis paramedics now deal with a wide range of serious and acute conditions, often in difficult circumstances and his family believe that they are often not given the recognition and credit that they deserve.
“So that most of his colleagues can attend his funeral on Wednesday paramedics and ambulance technicians from all over Scotland have volunteered to cover the shifts of their Aberdeen colleagues.” The statement went on: “Pete had a sense of fun and a zest for life. He was an outstanding father to his twin daughters, and was much loved as a husband, brother, son and friend, all of whom will greatly miss him.”
Mr Trudgill was also a popular and respected member of the city’s climbing community.
His family said climbing in Scotland had been his passion, particularly winter and ice climbing, and that he introduced many new people to the sport.
His funeral is at Aberdeen Crematorium West Chapel on Wednesday at 11.45am, to which all friends are respectfully invited.