Friends and family describe him as “full of energy and talent” and “a mentor to many”. A padel tournament planned for his 30th birthday is going ahead in his memory.
James Abiwon, 29, has been named as the man killed when a tree fell on his car in Mill Hill, north London, during Storm Boelo on Sunday. He was pronounced dead at the scene on Dollis Road. The Metropolitan Police said it was called at about 12.40pm after reports that a tree had fallen onto a moving car, and confirmed that a man in his 20s died. Paramedics, firefighters and an air ambulance were sent. He is reported to have been a tech sales executive and talented sportsman, and was due to turn 30 in about two weeks.
Tributes
His cousin, Tyrrell Okolo, told Metro that Mr Abiwon was “a master of everything” and a “massive family man” who was also doing well in his career. “He was a semi-pro footballer with Aldershot,” Mr Okolo said. “He also had a music career with 40,000 viewers on YouTube. He was a mentor to many.”
Kwame Affum, who knew him from the age of 13, said he was “heartbroken”. He had seen Mr Abiwon only a couple of days earlier, and said “alarm bells started ringing” when he did not reply to a message. “He loved sport; he was a good footballer and supported Arsenal,” Mr Affum told Metro. “He was just good at everything. He got a first at uni and was doing brilliantly at his job. He had just won an award. He was full of energy and talent. He was going to celebrate his 30th birthday in two weeks. It just seems impossible this has happened.”
The padel tournament that Mr Abiwon was due to hold for his birthday will go ahead in his memory, with all proceeds going to his family.
What records show
Some details in the tributes are supported by public records, according to the research notes, though others are not confirmed.
- Football: Aldershot Town’s archive records that he started in a 1-0 Hampshire Senior Cup win over Tadley Calleva on 8 September 2015 and played until the 56th minute. The National League U19 Alliance archive lists him with Aldershot, with four appearances and one goal. These records do not establish how many senior appearances he made, or the extent of his playing career. A Harrow College archive report also names him among the scorers in a 7-5 win over Queensmead School.
- Education and work: A public professional profile lists him at the University of Essex between 2016 and 2019, and shows a work recommendation praising his professionalism and energy. The first-class degree has not been confirmed by the university. A separate profile and a business listing name a James I. Abiwon in a sales role at Medidata Solutions. The notes could not establish whether this is the same person, or whether he worked there when he died.
The inquiry
The Metropolitan Police has said it will work with the local authority and the coroner to establish what happened. No completed investigation has been announced. Dollis Road was closed after the incident, and the junction with Abercorn Road had reopened by Monday. Flowers and cards were left near the site.
Residents told Metro that roadworks on a nearby street had diverted extra traffic onto Dollis Road. That does not show that the death was preventable or that any organisation was responsible, which would need a formal investigation.
The other victim
A second man was killed during the storm. Richard Baines, 60, a botanic garden curator, died after being hit by a falling tree while walking near his home in Dumfries and Galloway on Sunday. His employer confirmed his contributions to botanical research and conservation, according to ITV News Border. He was curator of Logan Botanic Garden, near Stranraer, which was named the UK’s best garden by Which? in 2021, according to STV News. Researchers linked to his work are preparing descriptions of seven plant species thought to be new to science. Gusts of up to 84mph were recorded as the storm crossed much of the UK.
