Mourners pay tribute to ‘selfless’ Gosport man Curtis Bull

IT WAS standing room only as mourners packed into Portchester Crematorium to celebrate the life of Gosport man, Curtis Bull, who sadly took his own life at the age of just 23.
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More than 100 mourners followed Curtis’s coffin into the crematorium to the musical backdrop of Sleep Walking, by This Wild Life.

His sister, Emily Bull, said: ‘What I will most remember about Curtis is his witty sense of humour and great personality. It was a beautiful service but Curtis will be massively missed as he played such a big part in everyone's lives.’

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Many of the congregation were brought to tears as a poem by older sister, Tara Bull, was read out.

Friends carrying Curtis's coffin into Portchester Crematorium
Picture: Habibur RahmanFriends carrying Curtis's coffin into Portchester Crematorium
Picture: Habibur Rahman
Friends carrying Curtis's coffin into Portchester Crematorium Picture: Habibur Rahman

The poem opened with the words ‘the moment that you died, my heart was torn in two, one side filled with heartache, the other died with you’.

‘I wrote that poem straight from the heart and it sums up how much I will miss Curtis,’ said Tara.

‘It was amazing to see so many people here. I just wish Curtis could have seen it as he would have realised how much he was loved,’ she added.

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Before his committal yesterday, mourners witnessed a video of images depicting Curtis’s life from his childhood through to his time working as a bricklayer.

One of the many floral tributes in memory of Curtis.

Picture: Habibur RahmanOne of the many floral tributes in memory of Curtis.

Picture: Habibur Rahman
One of the many floral tributes in memory of Curtis. Picture: Habibur Rahman

Martin Grace, who led the service, spoke of Curtis as a ‘bit of a daredevil’ with a passion for boxing and martial arts and a love of freestyling.

One of Curtis’s best friends, Kareem Elbaloula, who spoke at the service, said: ‘Curtis was such a selfless person, he would give you the shirt off his own back. It’s rare to find someone as genuine as Curtis. He never had a bad word to say about anyone.’

Despite his outwardly bubbly personality, Curtis had been struggling with mental health issues for some time.

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Emily said: ‘If someone is feeling down and having thoughts of taking their own life then I would urge them to speak to someone. Whether they say it once or a hundred times people need to take it seriously.’

The family would like any donations in memory of Curtis to be made to www.mentalhealth.org.uk

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