Amidst tragedy, the heartwarming tale of Josh Edwards’ memorial plaque at Sun City’s Valley of the Waves showcases the enduring power of kindness and compassion in the face of loss.
North West, South Africa (20 August 2023) – In the midst of life’s challenges and adversities, there are moments of beauty that arise from the compassion of strangers and the strength of the human spirit. One such story emerges from the heart of Sun City’s Valley of the Waves—a tale of love, loss, and the remarkable kindness that can be found even in the darkest of times.
This is a story about a plaque, an island, and a young man named Josh Edwards.
Josh embodied the essence of love and kindness. His spirit was a force to be reckoned with—always brimming with compassion and enthusiasm for life. A passionate animal lover, an avid sports enthusiast and an all-around nice guy.
“Josh was a caring, loving boy who loved life to its fullest. He loved animals so much so, that from the age of 12, he was a vegetarian. Josh loved his sport, especially ice hockey and his dream was to one day play for our national team and go and watch ice hockey in the USA. Sadly, he will never get to experience that. Josh is a twin and has a younger sister who is 13. Josh’s 19th birthday would have been a few days ago, on the 10th of August,” Josh’s dad, Tim Edwards, explains.
Tragically, his dreams were abruptly cut short. The heartbreaking moment that changed the Edwards’ family forever struck on January 5th, 2021, when Josh’s life was taken in a senseless act of violence.
“I spent a normal morning with my then 10-year-old daughter, buying all the ‘back to school’ necessitates for my three children. Just after lunchtime, I returned home and took Josh, who was just 16 at the time, to visit a new school friend. The friend had lots of pets, some exotic, and Josh loved animals. I dropped him off at a property not far from where we live. I met the friend and another boy, chatted with the friend’s mom before leaving the property to go about my day and with the intention of fetching Josh before dinner. But dinner didn’t happen,” Josh’s mom, Julie Edwards tells Good Things Guy.
As Julie took the ingredients out of the fridge to prepare for dinner, she received a call. A call that changed everything.
“I received a call. A call that nobody should receive. A call that froze time, shattered our lives and changed the world we once knew. Less than three hours after dropping Josh off for an innocent playdate, Josh was dead. Moments after putting one of the pets back in its cage, Josh was shot with a shotgun at close range, by his ‘friend’.”
After Josh’s death, the community came together and assisted the Edwards family in finding the best of the best to get justice for Josh, they helped put together a campaign called “Justice4Josh” which is still active today.
“This showed us a new side to South Africans, we really do have good people in this country. The same community have stood by us right through the trial and come to support us in court.”
It was sudden and tragic and while the pain of Josh’s untimely passing remains a heart-wrenching reality, his legacy lives on through the acts of kindness that followed his death. Tim and Julie found solace and strength in their community’s unwavering support. Friends and strangers alike rallied around the Edwards family. The heartbroken parents speak fondly about their son.
“Josh was 16 years old and had his whole life ahead of him. He was looking forward to Grade 11 and matric, learning to drive and getting a car. He was the boy with the big heart. He was the kind of son any parent would wish for. He loved his sisters and was protective and kind. He always had time for everyone, young and old, and loved animals. Kindness and love came naturally to Josh who touched lives and made the world a better place. Josh was hard-working and always the first one to help. Josh was friends with everyone and always put others first. He was loved beyond measure, and he projected light, love and joy wherever he went.”
“Losing Josh was and is inexplainable and we will never get over this nor understand why this happened to Josh. Josh didn’t deserve this; nobody deserves this.”
A Bittersweet Return to Sun City
Sun City, a place steeped in cherished memories, had always held a special place in the Edwards family’s hearts. Josh’s first visit was when he was just a few months old, and the love affair with the resort continued over the years. The family would visit the resort every year, sometimes twice.
“When Josh was 3, he couldn’t understand why we couldn’t just live there permanently. It was always sad leaving after a weekend, as Josh would be so upset that we had to go home. We tried to spend as many birthdays there as possible. There are so many special memories at Sun City; we explored every part of the resort.”
However, after his passing, the prospect of returning was bittersweet.
They had booked the trip long before the 5th of January but when the February date rolled around, the family were questioning whether they should go back to a place that held so many memories. A community member who had found solace at another resort following her own loss encouraged the family to embark on the journey.
“A member of our community who had recently lost her husband told us about another resort that she went to after her husband’s passing and had gone back with her kids, she had told them she was still coming with her kids. She suggested that I contact Sun City and ask them to try and make the whole check-in process a bit easier and possibly have the room ready a bit earlier.”
With heavy hearts, they reached out to Brett Hoppe, the General Manager of Sun City, asking for a bit of understanding during the check-in process.
What followed was a symphony of compassion that went beyond all expectations. Brett’s response was swift, filled with condolences and warmth.
“We arrived at the main gate and handed over our reservation papers; the lady at the gate asked us to please drive straight to the Palace and not to the Vacation Club. We drove up to the Palace and still had no idea what was about to happen. We stopped our car and we were welcomed by Francois, who also expressed his condolences. We were then told that they had changed our accommodation plans and we were staying in the Palace.
Francois took us to the doors of the room; we still had no idea what we were getting. He opened the doors and welcomed us to the Presidential Suite and introduced us to Silas, who would look after us. Not sure you can really call it a suite; it was as big as a house.”
The Edwards family were incredibly thankful for the kind gesture, Tim sent Brett a message to thank him and had this reply.
“We really want you, as hard it may be, to try and celebrate Josh’s life and relax a bit away from the trauma of what has occurred… please call me at any time if there is anything you need… we are here for you.”
A Tribute That Echoes Forever
The family had no idea but amidst the rolling waves of the Valley of the Waves, a special memorial had been planned by the Sun City team—one that would forever honour Josh’s memory. Guided by Brett, the Edwards family embarked on a journey to an island tucked away in the heart of the valley.
“On the Saturday we all met up at the big round table in the reception of The Palace. There was a big group of us, Julie’s folks, sister, nephews and a big group of friends that had also booked to stay the weekend. Francois was there waiting for us, he showed us to a small bus. We were then driven down to the entrance of the conference centre where we were met by Brett.”
Brett gave Julie and Tim a hug and had tears in his eyes. He led the entire group through the conference centre and up the stairs to the Valley of Waves. There was not a soul in sight; they had emptied the entire area for the Edwards family.
“He led us down the stairs into the Valley of Waves. They had set up a pathway across the sand which led to one of the small islands. Brett walked through the water in his suit and shoes. On the island, there was a framed photo collage of Josh’s memories at Sun City over the years. There was an original Rossi helmet (Josh loved Rossi), Josh’s favourite songs were playing and there was some special lighting. They had put some drinks on the island for everyone.”
The emotional crescendo of the memorial was the unveiling of a plaque—a beautiful reminder of Josh’s vibrant spirit and the enduring love of his family. This plaque, the only one of its kind in the entire Valley of the Waves, stands as a beacon of hope and healing.
“He told us it will be there forever more in Josh’s memory.”
“Brett Hoppe and Sun International were not aware of the circumstances around Josh’s death, they did not know us personally but still went above and beyond. They truly are superheroes in our eyes. We will forever more visit Sun City. It brings back so many happy memories. We will never forget what they did for us.”
In the aftermath of profound loss, the kindness of strangers helped restore faith in the goodness of humanity. Brett, Francois, and the dedicated team at Sun City not only ensured the Edwards family’s comfort but crafted a heartfelt tribute that resonates with every ripple in the water of the Valley of the Waves.
Josh’s plaque, the only one of its kind in the entire Valley of the Waves, serves as a testament to the power of compassion and the impact that a community—both known and unknown—can have on healing wounded hearts.
Make sure you visit it next time you find yourself in Sun City.
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