Alness UFO mystery solved – and someone up there is definitely smiling!
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LOVED ones paying tribute to a brave man who died at the age of just 23 have told how he would have loved being the unexpected centre of attention a year after his death.
Dylan Bogue passed away on February 24 last year after a brave battle with a life-limiting condition which left him relying on a wheelchair to get around.
His lust for life and determination to live life to the fullest helped spur on an Alness community-led campaign to provide him with a state-of-the-art all-terrain wheelchair capable of taking him to the beach and offering him hitherto unthinkable freedom.
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The anniversary of his death was marked at the weekend by a poignant ceremony in which family members wrote personal messages attached to biodegradable Chinese lanterns and released into the night sky.
The sight triggered some speculation on social media locally about possible UFOs – a revelation which tickled Dylan's family.
His aunt Karen Brownlie told the Ross-shire Journal: " Dylan passed on 24-2-23 at the age of 23
"The lanterns were bought from a close family friend and we decided to release them around 6-7pm on Saturday night as family and friends gathered. We all wrote our wee messages on the lanterns, such as 'Dylan YNWA', 'you are missed', 'shine bright' and 'never a day goes by we don’t think of you'.
"We all gathered at Dylan’s paradise which was built a few months after his passing in his dad Mark and stepmum Correen’s back garden. This has brought a lot of comfort to those who miss him."
Of the local UFO speculation, Karen added: "Dylan would have found this funny knowing he is still making the paper"
"In the morning, family and friends walked up Fyrish where Dylan’s ashes were scattered last year."
She noted that the lanterns were biodegradable and the release was done in a safe environment.
Back in May 2021 we reported how Dylan made his first visit to the beach since he was a toddler thanks to the wheelchair local folk helped fundraise for.
He had not been to a beach since he was carried there in his dad's arms.
The community rallied round to raise more than £22,000 during the lockdown to pay for a specialist wheelchair, after his long-serving NHS one ran out of steam after an hour following charging.
He said at that time: "It is the first time I've been on the beach since I went there as a child with my dad. I loved it."
He lived with the condition Duchenne muscular dystrophy and was determined to make it to the beach as soon as there was good weather.
His aunt said at that time: "It was amazing to see just how happy he was."
She continued: "I cannot thank everyone for all the support they gave us to get Dylan his wheelchair. We had thought it would take a few years, and because of people's kindness it only took a few months in the end. Thank you."
