A well-liked scaffolder has died after a long battle with a brain tumour.
Wayne Evans, 42 from Barnsley sadly died in a Neurology hospice in the town on Monday 11th May. Due to the Coronavirus lockdown, his family was not with him when he died.
Evans had worked in the scaffolding industry since the age of 17. Beginning his career as a labourer, Wayne had worked his way up to become an Advanced Scaffolder and Supervisor. Over the years the well-liked scaffolder had worked for many companies including Benchmark Northern, Cape, Interserve and SGS.
As previously reported Evans had suffered for four weeks from constant headaches prior to visiting the Opticians in 2017 where his tumour was found by chance.
He underwent emergency brain surgery at Sheffield Hallamshire Hospital to remove the golf ball-sized tumour. While recovering he subsequently made a plea using ScaffMag to warn others to get checked out.
A close family friend told ScaffMag that over the course of the two difficult years after his surgery, Evans fought the ultimate battle with his condition until December 2019. He no longer responded to treatment and was admitted into hospital for the final time.
Tributes from family and friends within the scaffolding industry have poured in over social media after the news of his death spread. A close friend and scaffolder who is a semi-professional DJ, Paul Orwin organised a full tribute set streamed live over Facebook on Monday.
Paul said: “After hearing the sad news about Wayne’s passing in such strange times there was only one thing to do in my mind bring all our friends together with a Facebook live DJ set in tribute to Wayne.
I played the music he loved replacing the upset with happiness to all our friends to celebrate his life the way he would have wanted it.”
Steve Gregory, Scaffold Instructor, and Health & Safety Consultant at ScaffSafe Ltd said: “The last couple of years since the operation has not been the easiest for Wayne. He has fought throughout and all his friends have been given so much support.
Once we were informed late last year that another tumour had formed which could not be operated on. We were told to make provisions for the end of life. During the final months of his life, the care team and his closest friend Mark Hale have been fantastic and a massive rock to the rest of us.”
As we prepare to say goodbye to another ScaffBrother this one will be difficult bearing in mind the current COVID 19 Situation. Wayne gave me one final request and he wanted the biggest party ever. I hope we can at some point in the not so distant future we are able to complete it and let everyone fulfil his legacy in his honour by dancing their legs off.”
“We both previously laughed at the word WayneFest. Time will tell if dreams can become a reality.”
ScaffMag would like to pass on our sincere condolences to Wayne’s family, friends and work colleagues. RIP Wayne Evans!
