James (centre) with friends Anthony Newton and Joe Pace

by Lynn Cox

He was meant to be starting a new chapter of his life -
heading off to university like thousands of others.

But James Loach never got to fulfil his dream of qualifying as a
quantity surveyor.

A week before he was due to leave, his mother found him dead in
their living room – the victim of unexpected heart
failure.

The teenager died at his home in Farnham Close, Rainham, and
this week his heartbroken family have bravely spoken about the
“wonderful son and brother” who was always smiling.

The family’s world fell apart in the early hours of
Sunday, September 23.

His mother Yvette said: “On the Saturday night, James had not
been feeling very well and was meant to be going out for farewell
drinks with his friends, who wanted to say goodbye to him before he
went to university.

The Loach family, from left to right, dad, Harold, sister, Claire, mum, Yvette, sister Rebecca Hoffman, and other sister, Amy, with James

“I had got the duvet out and some pillows and he was curled up
on the settee.”

At about 3am, Yvette heard a noise and went downstairs to see
if James was OK.

It was at this point she realised he had died. She said: “He
looked sound asleep.”

James, who was 19, lived in Rainham all his life and attended
St John Fisher Catholic School in Chatham.

He had three sisters – Claire, 26, Rebecca, 24, and Amy, 22, –
and was the only son of Yvette and Harold.

James on holiday in France, aged 11, 2004

Yvette, 53, said: “He loved his family and was close to his
dad and his sisters. He had a lovely smile and was very
funny.”

His proud mother said he was really enjoying his life when it
was suddenly cut short and had flourished at MidKent College when
he passed his construction course with flying colours.

Yvette said: “He got a triple-star distinction so he could go to
the university he wanted. He was interested in buildings and wanted
to be get jobs abroad.”

The college confirmed James was a talented student.

A spokesman said: “James was an extremely talented young man who
recently earned three distinction star grades. It is a tragedy that
he did not live to fulfil his obvious potential.”

According to his family, James always did well in everything he
did and had played football for the Rainham Kenilworth team since
the age of four.

"he was my baby and i feel like part of me is missing" – james's mum yvette

The family say they
have had considerable support from James’ friends who have
regularly come to their home to share stories of James’s cheeky
side.

Yvette said: “We never realised he had so many friends. They
have been telling us stories about what they would get up
to.”

Sister Amy and friends have organised a tribute night in
James’ memory and about 80 people turned up at the Wetherspoon pub
in Rochester to share their memories of him and have a drink in his
honour.

Amy said: “James was the best brother a girl could want. He
was always protective of all three of his sisters and was very,
very brave.”

Yvette added: “He was my baby and I feel like part of me is
missing.

“It’s hard to make sense of it all, he was just starting his
life.

“We will never see him do the things he wanted to do in his
life. He wanted to go on a lads’ holiday and so much more."

James’s funeral has yet to be arranged but his family say it
will be a celebration of his life.

Yvette added that James’s friends have also been supporting
the family and even made a YouTube tribute to his
friend.

Tributes can also be left on James’s Facebook page and on this special tribute site.