A DAUGHTER has paid tribute to her charity worker dad who she described as her "best friend" after he tragically died in the Moroccan earthquake.
David Barden, from Oxton, was a prominent figure in the Wirral community. For many years he was deputy head of West Kirby Residential School for Special Educational Needs. He was also membership secretary of The Oxton Society.
Since his retirement from teaching 10 years ago, David had been cycling miles around the world raising thousands of pounds for charities including the Red Cross.
He was in Morocco on September 8 when a 6.8 magnitude earthquake struck, killing more than 3,000 people. He was supposed to be staying at Hotel La Belle Vue in Tizi N’test, but decided not to, instead spending his last night at Cafe Sunset.
David's daughter, Sarah Barden, 41, spoke to the Globe about finding out the news about her dad's death.
Sarah, who is a consultant for the United Nations Food Agency based in Rome, said: "My dad sent me a final text message on the night of September 8 from a high range in Morocco’s Atlas Mountains, just 40 minutes before an earthquake hit Al-Haouz province south of the city of Marrakesh.
"For two days his family and friends did not know if he was dead or alive.
"I called all the hotels in the Taroudant region before getting through to Hamza Boumazough, the owner of Hotel La Belle Vue in Tizi N’test some seven kilometres from where my dad had stayed at the Café Sunset.
"Many fraught conversations to Hamza – whose parents, wife and three children are alive but whose business collapsed in the strongest quake to hit Morocco in a century – confirmed my Dad’s body had been recovered from the rubble of the accommodation where he spent his last night."
David died, aged 71 on September 9 just 20 days before his birthday on September 29.
Sarah described how her dad "lit rooms with his wit, humour, sharp intellect, and an abundance of compassion."
This was reflected in his mission to raise thousands of pounds for charities after he retired.
"After retirement he focused on charity work – namely the Red Cross – by cycling around the world, peddling more than 1,000 – 2,500 kilometres in segments", Sarah said.
"He crossed many countries and continents, enjoying every single one of them in their unique way."
Liverpool-born David, lived in Oxton Village with his wife Frances, near his sister Lillian, step-son Joseph and had extended family in Lancashire and around the UK.
"He devoted much of his time to the Oxton Society", Sarah explained.
"It was a village he felt privileged to live in, and a heritage he wanted to preserve – coming from very humble beginnings."
The pair were "always happiest on an adventure" Sarah told the Globe.
She said: "We travelled to Oman, Venezuela, Malaysia, and all over Europe together.
"Not many daughters can say they went clubbing in Caracas with their dad, hiking to the Salto Angel in the Gran Sabana region of Venezuela’s Bolívar State and on some sketchy camping trips to Scotland.
"You’ll never walk alone and many of the Beatles’ lyrics spoke to him, though he loved Joni Mitchell, Victor Jara, and Dmitri Shostakovich.
"I am proud to be his daughter because he was my best friend.
"My own friends wanted him at parties for the craic. He was ready to hit the roads by bike, car, or van to take me to my next destination – which was always, inevitably Paris.
"If I needed help, as a journalist or as a UN consultant, but especially in my personal life and dating disasters, he wanted to be there to get stuff sorted; putting up a shelf or sending a ratbag packing."
"Thanks to Hamza and the people of Morocco – his restless, persistent self is at peace – because his body was recovered from the rubble of the earthquake", Sarah said.
"Many far and wide will feel his loss.
"He was a passionate cook, he read many books, was ever so clever, stubborn, and persistent to the core, a fishing vegetarian, a gentle and devoted husband, and he was great with kids."
Sarah continued "a solid, loyal man who cherished green spaces and strawberry jam, made by his first wife, my mum Jean – who he met on a bus traveling from Athens to London via Zagreb and Milan in the early 70s."
Sarah said: "Without him the road ahead will be long, bumpy, sore, and solitary.
"My nickname for him was Don Quijote, after the novel by Miguel de Cervantes, one of the greats of Spanish literature.
"This quote by el Quijote sums this harrowing, haunting tragedy – my dad’s death – up: When life itself seems lunatic, who knows where madness lies? Perhaps to be too practical is madness. To surrender dreams — this may be madness. Too much sanity may be madness — and maddest of all: to see life as it is, and not as it should be!"
A Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) spokesperson, added: "We supported the family of a British man who died in Morocco.”
You can read David's blog here or donate directly to Hamza Boumazough, who has lost his home and business, here.
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