Kate Bush paid tribute to Matthew Upham, a friend of the singer, after he went missing while swimming on Christmas Day. Upham is one of two men who were “swept away” while taking a swim at Budleigh Salterton, per the Independent. Bush took to her personal website to post a message honoring her missing friend.
Kate Bush Shares a Heartfelt Tribute
In her newsletter, Bush wrote of Upham’s disappearance, sharing her fondness for him in a message simply titled “Matthew.” The two had been friends for 30 years, and she referred to him as “one of my very dearest friends.”
“He was one of those people who touched everyone he met. He was extraordinarily kind, thoughtful and lived life to the full,” she wrote.
Bush described herself, as well as Upham’s friends and family, as “heartbroken” after hearing the news that Upham had gone missing on Christmas Day. The message was accompanied by a photo of Upham smiling.
On Christmas Day, prior to Upham’s disappearance, Bush shared a heartfelt message to fans. She congratulated the “Stranger Things” team–the Netflix show led to a resurgence in popularity for her song “Running Up that Hill”–and thanked fans for their support of her recent album. She finished the post by reflecting on her childhood Christmas and telling readers, “I really hope you all have a beautiful Christmas.”
Matthew Upham is ‘Someone Incredibly Special’
Upham was a “very strong swimmer” who also enjoyed kayaking, wrote Bush.
“He understood that the sea should be respected,” she continued. She emphasized that it is “so tragic” that he lost life in this way.
“The world has lost someone incredibly special. Thank you Matthew, for being one of the best friends anyone could have,” concluded Bush’s message.
Matthew’s Family is ‘Heartbroken’
A family member, Major Upham, shared a tribute of his own to Matthew’s business’ Instagram. Matthew was the owner of an antique shop.
“Our family is heartbroken by the loss of our beloved family member Matthew Upham, who was reported missing on Christmas Morning. Matthew is deeply loved and will be forever missed,” wrote Major.
He continued, writing that the family is grateful for the emergency service teams who responded to Matthew’s disappearance, “particularly the RNLI and coastguard.” Major commended the services for their “dedication, professionalism, and tireless efforts during this extremely difficult time” as well as their “compassion and support.”
A search and rescue operation was launched when Matthew when missing, but emergency services were ultimately unable to locate Matthew or the second missing swimmer.
Major finished off his tribute to Matthew by requesting that the family’s privacy be respected as they “grieve and support one another.”
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