Alan didn’t suffer fools gladly – in fact Alan didn’t suffer many people gladly. But. . . if you were lucky enough to be one of the chosen few he would be generous, loving and very funny. There was always lots of laughter – Alan’s quick wit and sense of the ridiculous saw to that. He was Alpha male personified and he put those leadership qualities to good use during a long and very successful career in the oil industry. He was fiercely proud of his Cornish roots and although he lived and worked all over the world -- Mousehole was always “home”. There was a real touch of the hero about Alan with his good looks and powerful physique. On several occasions he risked his own life to help others, once pulling a driver free from a crashed car, carrying him to safety up a cliff side before returning for the passenger. For ten years he was a member of the crew of the Solomon Brown. He never quite recovered from the loss of his friends. He would have been immensely proud to see the RNLI flags flying at half-mast for him today. Alan’s extraordinary courage – was never needed more than in the last, long months of his illness. As the cruel disease progressed he fought with almost inhuman strength “raging against the night”. We watched as the reaction of doctors and nurses changed from shock at his outspoken – “don’t mess with me” approach - through a grudging admiration at his strength of character until he eventually won them all over and became a much loved cult figure at the Cardiff University Hospital. A man of contradictions Alan’s interests covered a wide spectrum: he loved music, his dogs, poetry, building stone-walls, playing guitar, working out in his gym and his cooking skills were legendary. He also took great satisfaction in feats of physical strength beyond most men half his age. While living in North Wales he created a three-acre lake almost single-handedly. There was nothing mediocre about Alan. He was a huge personality – difficult and kind, awkward and generous, outspoken and funny. He will leave a huge emptiness in our lives. We’ll miss him.