Chris Evans, the founder of CarFest, has addressed the loss of a youngster at his festival and encouraged attendees to download the What Three Words app.
The radio DJ described the boy’s family as “amazing” and stated that they had anticipated his death and “treasured the dawning of every new day” with him.
On his Virgin Radio broadcast after the tragedy at the festival in Hampshire’s Laverstoke Park Farm on Saturday, Chris Evans said: “I believe it’s incredibly vital that I talk about another family.
“A very remarkable family, a very lovely family, and a magnificent family are the subjects of a story that emerged yesterday and is being published again today about a small boy who tragically died as a result of a medical issue during CarFest late on Saturday night.
“As reported, the CarFest staff and I have been repeatedly urged by the family after the event to maintain their privacy while they mourn their tremendous loss.
“Which, of course, is exactly what we’ve been doing and the reason we haven’t disclosed anything about this subject thus far.
“That being said, on Wednesday afternoon, the little boy’s father called me and asked me to make a serious plea to anybody and everyone moving forward.
“And the plea is simply this. Could we all please make sure we have the fantastic What Three Words app downloaded on our phones?
“As the little boy’s father, he has no doubt that What Three Words played a critical role in allowing emergency services to pinpoint his exact location at the accessibility campsite at CarFest, allowing them to respond to his son’s serious medical emergency as soon as possible.
“That included the air ambulance, the ambulance service, the police, the fire department, and CarFest first responders.
“Sadly, we now know that despite their best efforts, they were unable to rescue the young youngster. But his father is adamant that What Three Words gave those professionals who were best suited to help the best chance of success.
He went on to call the family “selfless” for considering those who could be helped by the app following their son’s death.
He continued, “I need you to know, after learning more about this beautiful family, it speaks so perfectly to the character of who they are and how they are as individuals.
“A family whose young baby was born with serious, complex underlying health concerns that persisted throughout his brief and lovely life.
“His mother and father always knew this day would come, and they were aware that it would most likely occur sooner rather than later, so they valued each passing day. He was still with them.
“From everything I’ve learnt and heard over the last week, it appears like not a single moment passed when they weren’t doing everything they could to ensure he was loved as much as anyone has ever been loved.
“It is therefore, with their permission and only with their explicit permission, which I am yet to gain, that next year’s CarFest will be held in this little boy’s name.”
Hampshire & Isle of Wight Air Ambulance said that an air ambulance with a doctor and specialist paramedic was despatched to the incident in Basingstoke on Saturday, August 24.
A spokeswoman stated, “Following on-scene treatment, a patient was transported to the hospital by road ambulance for further treatment.”
“The air ambulance team travelled with the patient to continue providing specialist care.”
Chris Evans established CarFest in 2011 as a festival that featured live music and motoring track displays.
It has been held yearly since 2012, with the exception of 2020, which was cancelled owing to the Covid epidemic.
