Friends and family of a young man from Sherwood Park are sharing their memories of the man, after his body was found at a recycling plant in England earlier this week.
Garrett Elsey, 22, was enrolled at the University of Bristol in England and had just arrived in Bristol this week.
His body was found Thursday morning at a recycling plant in Avonmouth, about 200 kilometres west of London.
Elsey is being remembered by his family as a bright and hard-working young man.
“He was always happy,” Elsey’s uncle Brent told CTV News on Saturday.
“He was a very hard worker. He always tried to do the best that he could. He was not afraid of any kind of challenge and was very successful at most of the things he put his hand to.”
Elsey had been attending Carleton University in Ottawa before heading to Bristol for a Masters in International Security.
“He had a strong interest in political science,” Brent said.
“He had been very successful both academically and athletically and was a young man who had worked hard, was well-recognized by his peers and coaches and teachers.”
Memories of Elsey from his friends are being posted to his Facebook page.
"I can neither find the words necessary to describe what a good friend you were to me, nor find the space to recount all the fun times we've had," writes Adam Stone. "You are an incredible friend, Garrett, and someone we were all incredibly lucky to have in our lives."
"Garrett, you were such an incredibly kind, funny, amazing person," writes Komal Minhas. "I am grateful to have known you."
Few details are available on Elsey's death, and his family declined to comment on the investigation, but according to a BBC News report, a police search was launched at nine different locations across Bristol after the discovery of Elsey's body.
A service is being planned for Elsey in Sherwood Park on Oct. 4.
There are also plans for a service to be held in Ottawa - where Elsey had made a number of friends from his time at Carleton - at a later date.
