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Family pays tribute to roof fall teenager

11/ 6/2008

A HEARTBROKEN family has paid tribute to a 14-year-old boy who died after falling through the roof of a derelict shop.

Daniel Sookasian, 14, suffered a serious head injury after falling from the third-storey roof of the derelict United Carpets store in Openshaw.

A pupil at Egerton Park Arts College, Denton, he was a keen amateur rugby player for the under-14s team at Aldwinians RUFC.

Dad Hamlet Sookasian, 50, said: "He was with friends and they were just being kids, messing about and climbing in the building.

"We’ve all done it when we were growing up, daring each other to do things like this.

"He was such a caring boy and his time was cut short. He had really turned a corner recently and was becoming a man.

"He was one of the kindest lads — he really thought about others and made people smile.

"My son went to a rough school and had to have an aura of being a tough guy. He’d been in bits of trouble but he had settled down and since Christmas had really improved.

"All his teachers said he had improved and he wanted to win the prize for most improved pupil."

Friends and family have left tributes to ‘Danny’ at the scene of the tragic accident on Ashton Old Road.

As well as flowers and cards, there are Manchester United shirts, flags and scarves signed by his friends.

Another teenage boy also fell from the roof of the building, which is being demolished, in the same incident and suffered a suspected broken wrist.

Daniel, who lived with his mum Susan Sale, 51, on Maple Avenue, Denton had ambitions to be a pilot and attended St Gregory’s Orthodox Church with his dad.

He had picked up basic Dutch while living in Holland and Armenian through his father.

Susan said: "He always had a kiss for me when he left in the morning.

"I can’t believe this has happened.

"It’s difficult to find the words."

He has an older brother, Peter, 26, and his two sisters, Anoush, 27, and Hannah, 23.

Anoush and Hannah said in a statement: "Daniel was a great brother."