Taxi Driver Online

Tributes to ‘fun-loving family man’ who sadly died at the wheel of his taxi in Hornchurch

The son of a taxi driver who tragically died at the wheel of his cab has paid tribute to the “best dad anyone could have asked for”.

Mark Hudson, 51, died in the early hours of Sunday morning after suffering a suspected heart attack while driving his taxi.

Police and paramedics attended Station Lane in Hornchurch after the vehicle crashed into a bus stop outside the tube station.

His son, Luke, 21, of Essex Road, Collier Row, says he is focusing on the happy memories of his dad at this tough time.

He said: “My dad would make you laugh every day, every moment with him was the best.

“He was the other half of me and I was the other half of him.

“He was constantly giving me tests through life and this might be the hardest test of them all but if I can get through this then I can get through anything.”

The 21-year-old is now planning on following in his dad’s footsteps and taking his exams to become a taxi driver.

Luke said: “The last six months are the happiest I’ve ever seen him since he starting cabbing again.

“So I’ve got to do my green badge now, not just for me, but in honour of my dad.”

Ellen George, Luke’s mum and Mark’s former partner says she is still in shock and paid tribute to the “fun-loving family man”.

The dad-of-two also had five grandchildren who he would see on a regular basis.

She had spoke to Mark just hours before he died about planning a trip to Southend with the grandchildren.

Ellen said: “He is the best dad I could have chosen for Luke, everything he has ever done has been for him.

“He was a big family man but he was a joker too, he would still laugh at the same jokes he told 23 years ago.

“It’s left such a massive hole and a loss I’ve never felt before and something I certainly won’t feel ever again.”

His sister Alayna remembers a “protective brother” growing up who had a wicked sense of humour.

She last spoke to Mark in early hours of Saturday morning with the pair singing songs to each other on the phone.

Alayna added: “I’m not sure what I’m going to do without my big brother, he was a one off.

“He was a real people person, he loved having a chat with anyone and everyone that got in his cab, it’s one of the reasons why he is so well known.”

The family have recalled the “horrific” few hours after the accident and thanked London Ambulance Service crews for fighting to resuscitate Mark for the best part of an hour.

Alayna said: “We would like to thank all the ambulance crews and the hospital staff.

“They really fought for his life, it was horrific to witness but they didn’t give up on his life for one minute.”

Luke is also keen for the two passengers injured in the taxi to get in contact with the Recorder so he could find out about his dad’s last moments.

source: http://www.romfordrecorder.co.uk/news/t ... _1_4637399

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

very sad so young

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

That's very sad I'm 51. I've paused to think about what to add, Damn.

Very sad.

I wonder how many more articles like this we would have but for our regular medicals.

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IDFIMH

Depends in who does the medical.

One driver i know was blind as a bat had to have his phone 4 inches from his eye to read from it.
Now he has had a operation to restore his sight ,yet he was fit to drive. Folks on the rank suspect he had
cataracts .

That's to young to die like that. I bet he wasn't looking after himself.

We all know that the job is not altogether a healthy one.

Part of the problem regarding the above is that (a little bit of knowledge can be dangerous), by that I mean that it tends to hit home a bit too close, and we tend to think the worst. Having said that there are plenty out there (taxi drivers) that are well into their 70s and still working. We then we have the other side of the coin, whereby sports people also die early because of heart attacks! As awful as it is....I guess it was his time.

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Common sense........is just not that Common.