From the moment James was born, he took my heart and filled it with adoration. Whenever I was with him, I wouldn't put him down, although he did have a habit of filling his nappy every time I held him…
He entered our world as a miracle baby, and we were all so thankful that our wonderful Auntie Ali and Uncle Alan would be bringing up a child. We knew they would be the most incredible parents, filling their children with every ounce of life they could offer, encouraging them to explore, to dream, to take chances and to embrace the world without fear.
And James was exactly that. Fearless, curious and bursting with life, with an energy that he breathed into everyone he met. We could all take a leaf out of his book. To approach each day as something new, to never be afraid of trying the extraordinary, to welcome change, to explore unfamiliar terrain and to live with the kind of openness that James carried so naturally.
A true Corlett, James was a soul who treated the earth as his playground, never quite concerned with the business of growing up. They say we should all aspire to see the world through the eyes of a child, for children are the closest we ever come to heaven.
I like to think James never really left that place, even while he was here on earth. Just a beautiful, free-spirited soul, enjoying the world for everything it had to offer, with an endless curiosity for what might come next.
We're all grappling with the enormity of our grief. The unanswered questions, the anger of losing someone so young, and the unbearable sorrow of imagining a future without our son, brother, nephew, cousin and friend. While we must carry on here without him, we can imagine him flying high, as he always loved and longed to do.
We'll meet again James. And when we do, I know you'll be the first to show us around, with all the boundless energy, warmth and care you gave us here.
Until then, we'll keep exploring for you. 🤍
Ilona Bartlett
15/11/2026
