THE parents of a teenager killed in a road accident in Mongolia spoke yesterday of the loss of a son they said had everything to live for, writes William Tinning.
Colin Bryans, 17, of Duns, Berwickshire, died on Saturday when a taxi in which he was travelling crashed in the Mongolian capital Ulan Bator.
Three other young Scots in the taxi - who were part of a group of 30 on an expedition organised by a voluntary organisation, the Borders Exploration Group - were injured. Two were detained in hospital for observation and the other was released. They have not been named.
The party, aged 16 to 20, had been due to return to Scotland on August 5. But an expedition spokesman said a team of nine leaders and two doctors in Ulan Bator were trying to make arrangements for the group to return home as soon as possible.
The Berwickshire High School pupil had been due to start medical school at Glasgow University in October. He had set off on his overseas adventure on July 4, after raising #2500.
His parents, Graham and Jean, who are both schoolteachers, moved with their family to Duns from Widnes in Cheshire 10 years ago. The couple have a daughter, Jenny, 16.
The parents spoke proudly as they remembered some of their son's fundraising efforts and high educational achievements.
''He was a star,'' Mr Bryans said. ''He had everything to look forward to, everything to live for.''
Colin, who had completed tasks for his Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award before leaving for Mongolia, was also a keen musician, playing the guitar and clarinet.
The parents said embarking on medical studies had been an ambition of their son who had, in the past, done voluntary work with special needs children.
Colin had spent some of his time during the trip comparing health care facilities in Mongolia with those in Scotland, they said.
Mr Bryans added: ''We just feel he had everything going for him. He was doing so well at school and had been looking forward to this expedition. We will just remember him the way he was.''
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