Mother pours out her grief (From Barry And District News)

Mother pours out her grief

THE DEVASTATED Barry mother of a man gunned down in South Africa weeks before he was due to come home, has spoken of her grief.

Describing her son Michael Geoffrey Bowen as 'the most generous, kind-hearted person on this earth," pensioner Vera Wright told the News of the family's deep sense of loss.

The sixty three year old said: "It is just killing me knowing he'll never come home. I am absolutely devastated and I am asking God why this has happened.

"What makes it much worse is that Michael was coming home in time for his 40th birthday. His brothers Andrew and Leslie had even organised a surprise party for him."

Father-of-four Mr Bowen was killed when he took his car to a garage in the Hillbrow district of Johannesburg - reputedly one of the most dangerous areas in the world.

The 39-year-old financial advisor was gunned down in front of his horrified wife in what police believe was a failed robbery.

He was shot three times by a mysterious gunman and died during surgery at the city's Milpak Hospital.

The panel beater working on the vehicle was also killed in the shooting spree.

One of the two gunmen was seriously injured in the attack but the second fled the scene.

Mr Bowen and his family, which includes wife Kim and children Paul Michael, 19; Jennilee, 16: Adrian Michael, 4; Siobhan Kim, 2, were due to fly home to Wales within the next month.

But now instead of looking forward to a happy reunion, his mother will be flying out to Johannesburg for her son's funeral and cremation on Tuesday.

She said: "His coffin will be draped with the Welsh flag he used to hang outside his home on international match days and will contain one of the Welsh hats he and his sons were so proud of wearing."

Michael's ashes will be brought back and laid to rest at Western Cemetery, Cardiff.

Before she flew out, Mrs Wright of Hanover Court, paid tribute to those who had helped her through the last few difficult days . She said: "We are a Christian family. My two sisters Beryl Morgan and Pamela Caitlin plus their husbands Ronald and Glyn have been wonderful.

"My nieces Jane Meek, Janet Morgan and her husband Paul, have all rallied around. They haven't left me alone for a minute. I'd be lost without them."