The mother of a teenager who was laid to rest without his heart is appealing for her son to be remembered following his tragic death overseas.
Harry Begg, aged 19, lost his life in a suspected hit-and-run incident in Tenerife on December 1, 2025. Prior to Harry’s funeral, Spanish authorities informed his mother, Nicola Gardner, that his body had been repatriated to the UK without his heart for further examination. Nicola, hailing from Liverpool, disclosed that Spanish authorities were initiating a murder probe into her son’s untimely passing.
Harry, a resident of Kirkby, was riding an electric bike in Arona, located south of the island, when he was reportedly struck by a hit-and-run driver. The young Brit sustained severe head injuries and was declared deceased at the scene. Harry had relocated from Liverpool to the Spanish island 18 months before the tragic incident.
Expressing her grief, Nicola emphasized, “I want Harry to be remembered. I refuse to let Harry be overlooked. Harry was unforgettable, and I firmly believe that.”
In discussions with the Liverpool Echo, Nicola expressed her anger after her son’s body was returned to the UK three weeks post his demise. The coroner’s office for Liverpool and Wirral was notified of Harry’s passing on New Year’s Eve, 30 days after the incident. His funeral reportedly occurred at All Saint’s Church in Anfield on January 6, with burial following two days later due to challenges in obtaining documentation from Spanish authorities.
“I need answers regarding why the Spanish coroner held onto Harry for over three weeks before repatriation and why they retained his heart,” Nicola stated. “It was a head injury. I could comprehend if they preserved his brain, but not his heart.”
A Spanish investigator informed Nicola that Harry’s heart is being preserved pending further examinations as part of the ongoing criminal inquiry, the Echo reported.
Harry was the youngest of four siblings and passed away shortly before his 20th birthday. His brothers, Thomas, 21, Ted, 25, and Nicholas, 27, are devastated by the loss. Nicola shared, “Thomas and Harry were inseparable. You couldn’t have one without the other. He’s shattered.”
Nicola had not seen Harry since he left for Tenerife 18 months before the tragedy. Recalling their last interactions, she recounted, “He went on holiday and decided to stay because he loved it there so much. We chatted on Facetime, and just before the incident, he remarked, ‘Imagine mum, with a passport, you could be next to me in six hours.’ That prompted me to rush for an emergency passport. During my initial visit, I was denied access to him without a translator, leaving me clueless.”
Concluding, Nicola expressed, “I may never fully recover. I don’t know how to cope. Someone out there holds crucial information.”