JJ's Final Journey Home
Donation protected
Dear Friends,
We are here to ask for your help. As surreal as it is, we need to fund JJ's final journey from the Scottish Highlands to his final resting place: Malta.
JJ was an engineer, a researcher, a lecturer....
... but, who he truly was, was an amazing friend to so many of us - and that is even an understatement!
A very proud family:
A few of the Maltese gang:
His CAMyouths community, Ateens:
And here is the Southampton clan who gave JJ a second family away from home when he left the little rock to start a new life in the UK:
Below, in no particular order, rank or hierarchy (I don't think JJ ever had such stuff), a tiny collection of some of our dearest memories:
27 years of friendship ....
JJ was loved by so many at Southampton Uni, not least the family he had at the canoe club (SUCC), where he literally took on a legendary status through his natural, loveable character. There is only one JJ Valletta!
‘Who’s going to start Bohemian Rhapsody at the end of every wedding and night out?!’
‘A privilege to have been able to call JJ my friend. Someone who could light up any room with both his pure joie de vivre and choice of clothing. A fantastic cook, with unending hospitality and generosity to all those he met. I'll never forget dawn raids on the Upper Dart, belting out The Cat Empire on the way to river, and then sliding down the slabs with the sun rising over the mist downstream. ’
‘The only person I know that simultaneously…has a 3hrs46mins marathon pb and yet swore he ‘wasn’t an athlete’ (modest doesn’t cover it), knew all the lyrics to the heaviest power metal song and yet every Disney song (a true maverick!), and would go ballistic if you mixed pasta and used inferior olive oil, yet the only Malteser that didn’t like fish, was fearful of the most evil of all vegetables; The Onion(!!) and swore by a hearty coco pops breakfast! Truly, one of a kind.’
‘Basically just a total honour and privilege to have known him and have been part of his life.’
‘The most generous and warm-hearted man who would genuinely do anything for anybody--the definition of selfless. Only JJ could rock up to a camp site in the middle of nowhere with minimal fuel, water and food and end up feasting on fajitas by a fire with a beer beside the new friends he had made within 10 minutes’
‘A kind soul who will be missed by everyone who had the pleasure of his company, except maybe the University diversity training officers... I remember him pitching up on Southampton. ‘Can I sleep on your floor I’m starting a postdoc tomorrow and need to find a house’ always so positive, can-do and the most intelligent man (in his own way) I’ve had the pleasure of knowing!’
‘JJ, the antithesis of lazy. Incredibly intelligent, opinionated, enthusiastic and passionate. He puts a smile on my face and I am in total awe of how much he has achieved. Xxx’
‘JJ, our very own Malteser. A man of boundless energy, dangerously small changing towels, impromptu Queen solos and frozen bourbon biscuits. As subtle as a bull in a chinashop, but a true friend who you know you could always rely on. A huge heart, crazy hair and a friend that would be impossible to forget.’
"JJ you will be missed so much! I will never forget all the adventures we had together: exploring the peak district, flailing down rivers, getting totally bashed by waves, drunken nights, discussing all things control, constantly checking the Newark phone line to see if we could go paddling, partying every Friday Frouk night, New Forest half marathon, more paddling. You did everything with so much passion and zest for life. You were larger than life and it was impossible not to be affected by your boundless energy and charming nature. Such a privilege and honour to call you my friend. X"
"JJ was truly a gentleman and a scholar and we still can't quite comprehend and believe that he's gone. JJ was generous and always willing to help his friends no matter what. From educating us about why you can't trust P-values or Excel, to assembling furniture, helping us fix bikes, running races alongside us, trading sleeping bags when ours were far too thin for the weather conditions, teaching us Magic, rowing, trading travel stories, and all the many many evenings down at The Front or in front of your TV watching The Apprentice. JJ, you brought people together, we were all honoured to have you in our lives, and you will be sorely missed. ", the Cornwall mates
"A childhood friend and a decade-long faithful companion in our carefree days. A genuine friend, full of joy of life. In our group he was always the 'responsible' one...at times too mature for his age, at others childishly hard-headed. But always authentic, honest, faithful. He has gifted me with treasured memories of pure friendship."
"JJ has been a dear friend, a companion of different adventures for 27 years. He was a self-made man, of humble origins, of great academic potential and now, of what could have beens. Il-Ġiġ was the chap to have around for a good laugh or a serious talk. He was a humble genius, usually smiling and ready to share what he knew, albeit hard headed. The last time we met, it was our usual laugh, at a local pub, which we ended up almost owning, laughing our hearts out. We ended the night on this usual bench, in a Maltese winter having tea and pastizzi, and hinting at the idea of us travelling at his place and attend a Scottish football derby, together, as friends should do. Indeed, it was not meant to be. You’re already missed, JJ!!"
"I first met JJ, aka 'Baqra Johnny' aka 'il-Gig', at university around 19 years ago and we immediately hit it off. He always struck me as very intelligent - always challenging others and asking questions - and it was no surprise that he graduated at the top of our class and went on to be successful abroad. JJ was an adventurer and a traveller, literally travelling the world, always energetic and determined, and he excelled at whatever he did, whether it was learning Spanish, kayaking or diving. I consider myself lucky to have known him and I will forever cherish the memories of our adventures"
"Gig, kemm kelna xorti li lqajnik fil grupp tal-hbieb taghna...u ghalhekk qatt ma se nkunu l-istess wara t-telfa tieghek. Tibqa dejjem maghna fl-ispirtu...we‘ll play magic when we meet again in Heaven brother - JJ, our group of friends was blessed to count you as one of us...and for this reason, we will never be the same again after your loss. You remain with us in spirit...we can’t wait to play magic together when we meet again in Heaven."
"From that very first live-in, 21 years ago, to this day, JJ you've been the very best of friends one could hope for. Witty, intelligent, strong, trustworthy, compassionate, cheerful and with a heart of gold - your presence brought sheer joy to our lives. You were an inspiration to us all; with your sheer determination, achieving goals others only dream of - and yet remaining that humble and altruistic JJ we all knew and loved. When I heard the news, I was dumbstruck. Then I cried. And I couldn't stop. And tears keep running down my face because every time I switch on some music, a song that we both loved comes up. Because I try to watch an anime episode to distract myself, and I remember just how much you loved Shiryu the Dragon. Because every time I log onto FB, I see that the last message I had sent will forever remain unread. Because I reached into the wardrobe for a tshirt and your Inuyasha tee was right on top and I remember how happy you were that you had managed to find me a purple one. And even right now, you're still working your magic on us all - old friends who somehow drifted apart, reconnecting because of you; people reaching out to each other to find strength in togetherness during this hard time. Watch over us. You will live on, in our hearts."
"JJ I wish we could meet again for more adventures and intelligent, stimulating honest discussions. You were a true friend whom I knew I could always count on. You inspired me to make my own life adventures. You united groups together with your cheerfulness. In this photo here we are with bikes all set for some downhill mountainbiking near Surrey Hills. Will never forget you!"
"Oh, what would I give to have just one more moment with you, my dearest of friends!"
I am organizing this and guarantee that all the funds will be passed directly to JJ's father; Tony Valletta. With these funds, he will be able to pay for all the repatriation and funeral costs, with the current rough estimate being around EUR 6000. And, if anything is left, we all know and trust that Tony will put it towards an honorable cause.
Given the amazing generosity, we have updated our target. We were very conservative, hoping to cover the bare minimum. But extra funds should help his parents to travel to UK, deal with his belongings etc. And as before, I am sure that we will have to fight to convince Tony to use it as such and not donate it to charity. Whatever he decides to use it for, what an amazing way to say THANK YOU to JJ ! Thank you all so much ! xxx
The best magic trick you ever played on us; you have vanished, yet you will be with us forever ...................
We are here to ask for your help. As surreal as it is, we need to fund JJ's final journey from the Scottish Highlands to his final resting place: Malta.
JJ was an engineer, a researcher, a lecturer....
... but, who he truly was, was an amazing friend to so many of us - and that is even an understatement!
A very proud family:
A few of the Maltese gang:
His CAMyouths community, Ateens:
And here is the Southampton clan who gave JJ a second family away from home when he left the little rock to start a new life in the UK:
Below, in no particular order, rank or hierarchy (I don't think JJ ever had such stuff), a tiny collection of some of our dearest memories:
27 years of friendship ....
JJ was loved by so many at Southampton Uni, not least the family he had at the canoe club (SUCC), where he literally took on a legendary status through his natural, loveable character. There is only one JJ Valletta!
‘Who’s going to start Bohemian Rhapsody at the end of every wedding and night out?!’
‘A privilege to have been able to call JJ my friend. Someone who could light up any room with both his pure joie de vivre and choice of clothing. A fantastic cook, with unending hospitality and generosity to all those he met. I'll never forget dawn raids on the Upper Dart, belting out The Cat Empire on the way to river, and then sliding down the slabs with the sun rising over the mist downstream. ’
‘The only person I know that simultaneously…has a 3hrs46mins marathon pb and yet swore he ‘wasn’t an athlete’ (modest doesn’t cover it), knew all the lyrics to the heaviest power metal song and yet every Disney song (a true maverick!), and would go ballistic if you mixed pasta and used inferior olive oil, yet the only Malteser that didn’t like fish, was fearful of the most evil of all vegetables; The Onion(!!) and swore by a hearty coco pops breakfast! Truly, one of a kind.’
‘Basically just a total honour and privilege to have known him and have been part of his life.’
‘The most generous and warm-hearted man who would genuinely do anything for anybody--the definition of selfless. Only JJ could rock up to a camp site in the middle of nowhere with minimal fuel, water and food and end up feasting on fajitas by a fire with a beer beside the new friends he had made within 10 minutes’
‘A kind soul who will be missed by everyone who had the pleasure of his company, except maybe the University diversity training officers... I remember him pitching up on Southampton. ‘Can I sleep on your floor I’m starting a postdoc tomorrow and need to find a house’ always so positive, can-do and the most intelligent man (in his own way) I’ve had the pleasure of knowing!’
‘JJ, the antithesis of lazy. Incredibly intelligent, opinionated, enthusiastic and passionate. He puts a smile on my face and I am in total awe of how much he has achieved. Xxx’
‘JJ, our very own Malteser. A man of boundless energy, dangerously small changing towels, impromptu Queen solos and frozen bourbon biscuits. As subtle as a bull in a chinashop, but a true friend who you know you could always rely on. A huge heart, crazy hair and a friend that would be impossible to forget.’
"JJ you will be missed so much! I will never forget all the adventures we had together: exploring the peak district, flailing down rivers, getting totally bashed by waves, drunken nights, discussing all things control, constantly checking the Newark phone line to see if we could go paddling, partying every Friday Frouk night, New Forest half marathon, more paddling. You did everything with so much passion and zest for life. You were larger than life and it was impossible not to be affected by your boundless energy and charming nature. Such a privilege and honour to call you my friend. X"
"JJ was truly a gentleman and a scholar and we still can't quite comprehend and believe that he's gone. JJ was generous and always willing to help his friends no matter what. From educating us about why you can't trust P-values or Excel, to assembling furniture, helping us fix bikes, running races alongside us, trading sleeping bags when ours were far too thin for the weather conditions, teaching us Magic, rowing, trading travel stories, and all the many many evenings down at The Front or in front of your TV watching The Apprentice. JJ, you brought people together, we were all honoured to have you in our lives, and you will be sorely missed. ", the Cornwall mates
"A childhood friend and a decade-long faithful companion in our carefree days. A genuine friend, full of joy of life. In our group he was always the 'responsible' one...at times too mature for his age, at others childishly hard-headed. But always authentic, honest, faithful. He has gifted me with treasured memories of pure friendship."
"JJ has been a dear friend, a companion of different adventures for 27 years. He was a self-made man, of humble origins, of great academic potential and now, of what could have beens. Il-Ġiġ was the chap to have around for a good laugh or a serious talk. He was a humble genius, usually smiling and ready to share what he knew, albeit hard headed. The last time we met, it was our usual laugh, at a local pub, which we ended up almost owning, laughing our hearts out. We ended the night on this usual bench, in a Maltese winter having tea and pastizzi, and hinting at the idea of us travelling at his place and attend a Scottish football derby, together, as friends should do. Indeed, it was not meant to be. You’re already missed, JJ!!"
"I first met JJ, aka 'Baqra Johnny' aka 'il-Gig', at university around 19 years ago and we immediately hit it off. He always struck me as very intelligent - always challenging others and asking questions - and it was no surprise that he graduated at the top of our class and went on to be successful abroad. JJ was an adventurer and a traveller, literally travelling the world, always energetic and determined, and he excelled at whatever he did, whether it was learning Spanish, kayaking or diving. I consider myself lucky to have known him and I will forever cherish the memories of our adventures"
"Gig, kemm kelna xorti li lqajnik fil grupp tal-hbieb taghna...u ghalhekk qatt ma se nkunu l-istess wara t-telfa tieghek. Tibqa dejjem maghna fl-ispirtu...we‘ll play magic when we meet again in Heaven brother - JJ, our group of friends was blessed to count you as one of us...and for this reason, we will never be the same again after your loss. You remain with us in spirit...we can’t wait to play magic together when we meet again in Heaven."
"From that very first live-in, 21 years ago, to this day, JJ you've been the very best of friends one could hope for. Witty, intelligent, strong, trustworthy, compassionate, cheerful and with a heart of gold - your presence brought sheer joy to our lives. You were an inspiration to us all; with your sheer determination, achieving goals others only dream of - and yet remaining that humble and altruistic JJ we all knew and loved. When I heard the news, I was dumbstruck. Then I cried. And I couldn't stop. And tears keep running down my face because every time I switch on some music, a song that we both loved comes up. Because I try to watch an anime episode to distract myself, and I remember just how much you loved Shiryu the Dragon. Because every time I log onto FB, I see that the last message I had sent will forever remain unread. Because I reached into the wardrobe for a tshirt and your Inuyasha tee was right on top and I remember how happy you were that you had managed to find me a purple one. And even right now, you're still working your magic on us all - old friends who somehow drifted apart, reconnecting because of you; people reaching out to each other to find strength in togetherness during this hard time. Watch over us. You will live on, in our hearts."
"JJ I wish we could meet again for more adventures and intelligent, stimulating honest discussions. You were a true friend whom I knew I could always count on. You inspired me to make my own life adventures. You united groups together with your cheerfulness. In this photo here we are with bikes all set for some downhill mountainbiking near Surrey Hills. Will never forget you!"
"Oh, what would I give to have just one more moment with you, my dearest of friends!"
I am organizing this and guarantee that all the funds will be passed directly to JJ's father; Tony Valletta. With these funds, he will be able to pay for all the repatriation and funeral costs, with the current rough estimate being around EUR 6000. And, if anything is left, we all know and trust that Tony will put it towards an honorable cause.
Given the amazing generosity, we have updated our target. We were very conservative, hoping to cover the bare minimum. But extra funds should help his parents to travel to UK, deal with his belongings etc. And as before, I am sure that we will have to fight to convince Tony to use it as such and not donate it to charity. Whatever he decides to use it for, what an amazing way to say THANK YOU to JJ ! Thank you all so much ! xxx
The best magic trick you ever played on us; you have vanished, yet you will be with us forever ...................
Co-organizers (4)
Christopher Micallef
Organizer
Pete Curtis
Co-organizer
Anna Belcher
Co-organizer
Joseph Spiteri
Co-organizer