Man grieving the loss of his fiancee in freak umbrella tragedy hits back at sick trolls who joked about it on social media

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A man whose fiancee was killed in a freak accident with an umbrella has blasted trolls who joked about it on social media.

Jason Booth, 21, from Holmfirth, West Yorkshire, created a video response after he was sent sick comments about the death of his girlfriend Grace Dyson - some even blaming him.

An inquest last week ruled that the 18-year-old's death was a tragic accident after she was knocked into the road and hit by a van as Mr Booth tried to open an umbrella.

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Jason Booth (left) has hit back at trolls who sent sick comments after his fiancee Grace Dyson (right) was killed in a tragic accident

It had been pouring with rain when he had got a spoke caught on a wall and stumbled into Miss Dyson, who in turn fell into the path of the vehicle - which was being driven by her uncle.

The inquest heard there was nothing the driver or Mr Booth could have done to prevent the accident, describing it as a 'tragic set of circumstances that Grace lost her footing at that exact time'.

However online trolls took to social media suggesting the circumstances were 'too coincidental' and that Mr Booth was not being a gentleman as he was walking closer to the wall.

Gerald Ives posted on Facebook: 'Read about your tragedy. It was always gentlemanly to walk on the edge of the pavement to protect the lady from being splashed. 

'That is where you should have been, on the edge of the pavement... I know of course that there a very few gentlmen [sic] left.'

He made a three minute video explaining the circumstances and calling for people to think before they type

One of the messages he received was from Gerald Ives on Facebook who said he should have been walking on the other side of the pavement

Jamie Lee Ufton posted on social media that it was a 'coincidence' and suggested 'some kind of foul play'

A comment from Alan Toner made a sick reference to the Rihanna song 'Umbrella' in a comment on Facebook

Jamie Lee Ufton said: 'I know this is tragic. However the shear amount of coincidence seems mathematically stacked, to suggest some kind of foul play.

'I get strange things. I can accept this is a tragic event and my condolences to the family. However it is my nature to question, no ill will or negativity is meant. 

'I'm hoping that the police have fully investigated the incident and the relationships and any possible motives etc., as it does seem to be too much of a coincidence.'  

Mr Booth, a chemistry student at the University of Huddersfield, hit back at the negative comments and set the record straight by creating a three minute video set to music played by Miss Dyson.

He said: 'There seems to have been a fairly large loss of respect, people making a joke about the accident. 

The couple, who had been together for 14 months, were walking along the road in the rain last August when Mr Booth had been trying to put an umbrella up, stumbled into Miss Dyson who fell into the road

'People suggesting that it was too much of a coincidence and that there must have been foul play involved - yeah, because I didn't already blame myself enough for it already without reading heartless comments.

'In just over a day, my video has sent such an important message to over 10,000 people. I'd like to thank my friends so much for helping this happen and especially Leaa for really helping me kick it all off at first.

'I created this video in anger at the fact somebody could even think of posting a comment suggesting that I could have possibly murdered the lady of my dreams, despite months of police investigations proving it was an accident.

'Without the amazing support group I have, consisting of incredible friends and family, I may not have been able to look past these disgusting comments. Not everyone has the support group I have around me.

Mr Booth made the video with a help of a friend and explains what happened on that day last year

He explains that the umbrella got caught on the wall and says it was an accident 'nobody was to blame'

The inquest heard there was nothing the driver or Mr Booth could have done to prevent the accident

The heartbroken 21-year-old said he created the video out of anger that people could post such comments

'Some people could lose the only person they have, yet there are people out there who would even think about posting disrespectful comments about their loss, taking away that pinch of life they're holding on to.'

In the video Mr Booth says he wants remind people about 'respect and common sense' when making comments online.

Miss Dyson's uncle, Ivan Beaumont, was coming home from work when he struck her in his van. He was questioned but no charges were brought

Then, speaking directly to those who made the comments, he says: 'To you it was just a story. To you, Grace was just a character in that story. But this isn't fictional. It's not a joke. It's a real life tragedy.'

'I have the strength to look past your comments, but what if someone else one day doesn't?'

The couple, who had been together for 14 months, had been heading to a fish and chip shop when the tragedy struck in August last year.

Mr Booth was holding an umbrella over himself and the apprentice administrator both as they walked along a pavement in the next-door village of Thongsbridge.

He told the inquest: ‘It was raining quite badly. It was quite a big umbrella with an elongated handle.

‘When we set off the brolly was up. On the side of the pavement we were walking down there was a dry stone wall - I was nearest to the wall and Grace was on my left. 

‘The metal end of the umbrella got stuck in a crevice in the wall. It made me jolt to the left hand side - I remember seeing Grace’s foot slip over the edge. I think that’s when she fell.’

Driving past at that moment was labourer Ivan Beaumont – Miss Dyson’s uncle – who was coming home from work.

He told police he had spotted his niece and was about to wave to her when she toppled into the road and under his Nissan Cabstar van. 

A passer-by rushed over to help but said there was little that could be done for Miss Dyson. She was pronounced dead by the emergency services when they arrived. 

Remembered: A flag for the metal band Rammstein was among the tributes left at the scene in Thongsbridge 

Tributes left at the scene for Miss Dyson, who was a student and apprentice administrator, in August last year

Mr Beaumont was questioned by police but not charged. Det Sgt Lowden said: ‘He had no time. She fell in the road and hit her with his van. It all happened so quick and she went under the wheel’.

He added: ‘It’s a tragic set of circumstances that Grace lost her footing at that exact time. Sadly this proved fatal. The chances of this occurring are unbelievable.’

Mr Beaumont was questioned by police but no charges were ever brought. 

'GRACE WAS A GIFT TO THIS WORLD': JASON BOOTH'S VIDEO TRANSCRIPT IN FULL 

A picture of the couple together that Mr Booth used in the video, shared with 10,000 people

To begin with i'd like to make it clear that i'm not looking for sympathy...

I'm looking to reintroduce a couple of concepts to people, concepts that unfortunately seem to be lacking in this world..

Respect and common sense.

These thankfully come naturally to many people but seemingly not to others - these are the people I'm targeting this video at.

Let's start with a picture and then another [shows a picture of the tributes and one of the couple].

In a split second tragedy the life I had chosen was taken from me, right in front of my eyes.

My umbrella got caught on the wall. It sent me falling into my fiancee. My fiancee fell into the path of an oncoming vehicle. An accident. A tragedy. Nobody to blame.

My beautiful fiancee. A cherised daughter and sister. A loving friend that many are honoured to have known. And now another bright star in the sky.

I have seen many kind message from people, obviously genuinely written using words from the heart. But I've also seen these...

Gerald Ives: 'Read about your tragedy. It was always gentlemanly to walk on the edge of the pavement to protect the lady from being splasehd. That is where you should have been, on the edge of the pavevment...I know of course that there a very few gentlmen left.'

Jamie Lee Ufton: 'I know this is tragic. However the shear amount of coincidence seems mathematically stacked, to suggest some kind of foul play.'

'I get strange things. I can accept this is a tragic event and my condolences to the family. However it is my nature to question, no ill will or negativity is meant, i'm hoping that the police have fully investigated the incident and the relationships and any possible motives etc. as it does seem to be too much of a coincidence. I hope I'm wrong and I'm just over thinking it.'

Alan Toner: 'Poor fella, ella, ella.'

Even the press are seemingly suffering from a lack of respect.

After first reading these I cried. I was shaking with anger. What right have they got to do that?

If their comments were to drive someone over the edge would they care?

If their comments were one day made towards themselves or their loved ones, would they care?

Gerald, Jamie, Alan and their fellow 'keyboard warriors', would you care?

To you it was just a story. To you, Grace was just a character in that story. But this isn't fictional. It's not a joke. It's a real life tragedy.

Grace wasn't a character, Grace was gift to this world. In fact that music you're lisening to that's Grace, a gift.

I have the strength to look past your comments, but what if someone else one day doesn't?

What if your comments were to strip people of that one bit of hope they were desperately clinging on to?

Take an extra second to think before you start typing away on your keyboard. Imagine yourself with the life of the people you are commenting about.

THINK before you type, it's really not that bloody hard. Is it?

This is our life, not your story.

This is our love, not your laugh.

This is our reality, not your entertainment.

Grace spent every day of her life caring, respecting and loving the people around her. Yet you can joke about her death?

I ask one thing of you - to follow just slightly in Grace's footsteps by having some respect and care for other people.

You are not invincible. Your loved ones are not invincible. A tragic event could change the life of any of you.

Would you want your pain to be boosted by things you read?

Please just take a little time to think before making a comment. It's a simple concept but it's unbelievably underused.

When commenting about someone's loss, make sure you don't take away the bit of life they're fighting to hold on to.

Because of you, one loss could quite easily become two.

You're given a brain when you're born, don't waste it, use it.