'He would've been the best daddy': Dad-to-be dies in motorcycle crash days before son's birth

Telmo Rijo, 22, was killed in a motorcycle accident on Friday, June 20. His fiancée, Victoria Marel, gave birth to their son, Xavier Telmo, the following Monday (June 23), at exactly 38 weeks.

Speaking from the family’s home in Hanwell Fields, Victoria told the Banbury Guardian: “I honestly still feel shocked about the whole tragic accident. I miss him more by the day and it has been the toughest week knowing that he will never get to hold his son and that I will never get to watch him become the amazing father he was so looking forward to being.”

“It has been very difficult finding the time to grieve alongside looking after myself and learning the beauty and hardships of motherhood. It really pains me that Telmo will never get this experience.”

Victoria said the couple had known each other since their early teens, and only started dating last summer. “Our anniversary would have been the June 29 and it was the most difficult day so far.”

"Xavier was an unexpected pregnancy but we both decided we would step up and commit to each other and give Xavier the loving and caring family he deserved,” she added. “Telmo proposed to me on January 15. We made plans to get married in the next five years once Xavier gets a little older. We planned to build a life together and travel the world, giving Xavier all the love and memories we could provide.”

She described Telmo as overjoyed about becoming a father. “He would read books to my baby bump and sing to him every night; he truly would have been the best daddy to our little boy.”

The couple reconnected last year after years apart, and instantly “clicked.” “We enjoyed doing anything as long as we were together – we went out together almost everyday, even if it was just a quick trip to the shop; we always had the best time,” Victoria said. “We really enjoyed taking rides on his motorbike, going out to try different restaurants and we always loved to watch movies in the cinema.”

“Xavier was born at the JR in Oxford just three days after Telmo’s passing. I was not overdue, he came at exactly 38 weeks. I still remember Telmo saying the day before his accident, ‘I hope Xavier is born before Tuesday so that I do not have to go to work’.”

Though she gave birth without family by her side, she was accompanied by a close friend and her stepmother. “It was a very emotional time and I wish that I could’ve shared it with my beautiful fiancé.”

A GoFundMe page has since been set up by family to raise money for Telmo’s funeral. The page, which has so far raised over £6,800, reads: “As a lot of you are aware, Telmo passed away in a motorcycle accident on Friday the 20th of June. He left a huge legacy behind him.

“Telmo was a kindhearted, loving and caring guy, he always had a smile on his face and always made sure everyone was good and cheering everyone up. Telmo has left a massive hole in all our hearts with this unexpected tragedy and we are opening this page to help raise funds, to cover the costs of his send off.

“Even though Telmo had an amazing family who will pull together anything we can, we were not financially prepared for this and therefore we ask the community for support, all funds will be used for the funeral and memorial, anything extra will go to his son.

“Any donations are greatly appreciated as this lifts a massive weight off our shoulders. He will be greatly missed by many and we hope that we can give him the send off he deserves.”

In an update on June 30, organiser Erica Rijo added: “We just want to say a massive thank you to everyone who has donated so far. This goes to show how much Telmo was loved by everyone. We still don’t have a date for the funeral but will update once we know more. Once again a massive thank you to everyone.”