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FAMILY JOY - BUT DAYS LATER DANIEL WAS DEAD
Manchester Evening News
June 10, 2008 Tuesday
UK
THEY are the smiles of a happy and devoted family. Daniel Sookasian,
14, is pictured with his sisters Hannah and Anoush.
Yet about a week later Daniel - 'a great brother' - was dead after
falling through the roof of a derelict shop.
Now his heartbroken family has paid tribute to him.
Daniel suffered a serious head injury after falling from the
third-storey roof of the derelict United Carpets store in Openshaw,
Manchester.
He had emergency surgery at Royal Manchester Children's Hospital,
Pendlebury, but did not regain consciousness.
His family was at his bedside when he was pronounced dead by doctors
the next morning. Daniel, a pupil at Egerton Park Arts College in
Denton, was a keen amateur rugby player for the under-14s team at
Droylsden-based Aldwinians RUFC.
Dad Hamlet Sookasian, 50, originally from Armenia, said: "He was with
friends and they were just being kids, messing about and climbing in
the building.
"We've all done it when we were growing up, daring each other to do
things like this.
"Daniel was very active. You had to keep him busy and he loved sports,
especially rugby.
"He was such a caring boy and his time was cut short. He had really
turned a corner recently and was becoming a man.
"He was one of the kindest lads - he really thought about others and
made people smile.
"My son went to a rough school and had to have an aura of being a
tough guy. He'd been in bits of trouble but he had settled down and
since Christmas had really improved.
"All his teachers said he had improved and he wanted to win the prize
for most improved pupil."
Friends and family have left tributes to 'Danny' at the scene of the
tragic accident on Ashton Old Road. As well as flowers and cards,
there are Manchester United shirts, flags and scarves signed by his
friends, who have also written tribute messages on warning signs on
the ramshackle building.
Another teenage boy also fell from the roof of the building, which is
being demolished, in the same incident. He was treated for a suspected
broken wrist.
Daniel, who lived with his mum Susan Sale, 51, on Maple Avenue,
in Denton, had ambitions to be a pilot and attended St Gregory's
Orthodox Church with his dad. He had picked up basic Dutch while
living in Holland and Armenian through his father. Susan said:
"He always had a kiss for me when he left in the morning. I can't
believe this has happened.
"It's difficult to find the words."
He has an older brother, Peter Sale, 26, and his two sisters, Anoush,
27, and Hannah, 23.
Anoush and Hannah said in a statement: "Daniel was a great brother."
Manchester Evening News
June 10, 2008 Tuesday
UK
THEY are the smiles of a happy and devoted family. Daniel Sookasian,
14, is pictured with his sisters Hannah and Anoush.
Yet about a week later Daniel - 'a great brother' - was dead after
falling through the roof of a derelict shop.
Now his heartbroken family has paid tribute to him.
Daniel suffered a serious head injury after falling from the
third-storey roof of the derelict United Carpets store in Openshaw,
Manchester.
He had emergency surgery at Royal Manchester Children's Hospital,
Pendlebury, but did not regain consciousness.
His family was at his bedside when he was pronounced dead by doctors
the next morning. Daniel, a pupil at Egerton Park Arts College in
Denton, was a keen amateur rugby player for the under-14s team at
Droylsden-based Aldwinians RUFC.
Dad Hamlet Sookasian, 50, originally from Armenia, said: "He was with
friends and they were just being kids, messing about and climbing in
the building.
"We've all done it when we were growing up, daring each other to do
things like this.
"Daniel was very active. You had to keep him busy and he loved sports,
especially rugby.
"He was such a caring boy and his time was cut short. He had really
turned a corner recently and was becoming a man.
"He was one of the kindest lads - he really thought about others and
made people smile.
"My son went to a rough school and had to have an aura of being a
tough guy. He'd been in bits of trouble but he had settled down and
since Christmas had really improved.
"All his teachers said he had improved and he wanted to win the prize
for most improved pupil."
Friends and family have left tributes to 'Danny' at the scene of the
tragic accident on Ashton Old Road. As well as flowers and cards,
there are Manchester United shirts, flags and scarves signed by his
friends, who have also written tribute messages on warning signs on
the ramshackle building.
Another teenage boy also fell from the roof of the building, which is
being demolished, in the same incident. He was treated for a suspected
broken wrist.
Daniel, who lived with his mum Susan Sale, 51, on Maple Avenue,
in Denton, had ambitions to be a pilot and attended St Gregory's
Orthodox Church with his dad. He had picked up basic Dutch while
living in Holland and Armenian through his father. Susan said:
"He always had a kiss for me when he left in the morning. I can't
believe this has happened.
"It's difficult to find the words."
He has an older brother, Peter Sale, 26, and his two sisters, Anoush,
27, and Hannah, 23.
Anoush and Hannah said in a statement: "Daniel was a great brother."