The family of talented Somerset sportsman Kirk Simons have spoken of their heartbreak after his death in a road crash just two weeks before Christmas.

Mr Simons, 39, was well-known as a footballer for Somerset Eagles, Somerset Trojans and most recently, Corona League team Valley FC. He also captained Somerset Bridge cricket team over the summer.

He suffered fatal injuries when his bike came into collision with a taxi on Harbour Road, Paget, around 1.45 am on Saturday. His mother, Michelle Hunt, 60, said last night: “He was a good son. He was my honey and he loved us. A good man has gone and it’s devastating. We really can’t believe it.”

She added: “He was a jolly, happy person. Anyone who knew him knew about that million dollar smile.”

Among the other family members grieving for Mr Simons are his sisters, Theresa Simons, 40, Abi Rogers, 30, and his children, daughter Tiana Imani Simons, 16, and son Malachi Isaiah Outerbridge, five.

His father, Roderick Simons, died in 1996.

Ms Rogers said: “He was very humble, genuine and very giving. I would call him a provider too. If it wasn’t there he would get it.”

Besides football and cricket, Mr Simons was known for his love of dogs. “It was a passion for him since young. He had a million dogs since then,” explained Ms Rogers.

She added: “He was definitely a family man. He was a very good father and loved his children.”

She described Malachi, who lives with his mother, as a “daddy’s boy” who is too young to understand what has happened.

Daughter Tiana is at school in the US, but due to fly back to Bermuda this week.

She said: “Although I seldom saw my father, I always knew I was greatly loved and cared about. No matter what, I’ve always known he was just a phone call away.”

She added: “In the face of every adversity he was always my voice of reason. Telling me to hold on, move on, be patient, intelligent, wise, and strong.

“It saddens me that in my greatest time of need and desperation he’s not here to encourage me and push me through. He was accepting and understanding and never judgmental. His blunt honesty is something I’ll always cherish.”

Mr Simons grew up in Somerset and attended West End Primary and then Berkeley Institute before heading to St Francis College in Brooklyn, New York where he studied business aviation.

Following college, Mr Simons worked in the freight department at the airport before moving into the construction industry.

He met his daughter’s mother, Tamika Penn, when she was 17 and they attended St Francis College together.

Ms Penn, who lives in Florida, said: “We had a few classes together, he made me laugh and we helped each other with class assignments. We started dating and two years later we had Tiana.

“He was a good dad. He took care of her and always put her first. In recent years, he moved back to Bermuda. Even though they didn’t see each other much, he still reached out to her and called to make sure she was OK.

“He was planning on attending her high school graduation next year and it breaks my heart that he will not be there or at any other achievement Tiana has in her future. I’m saddened that such a tragic event took him from us. He will be missed.”

Neisha Wilson, a friend of the Simons family, said she was deeply saddened by his untimely death.

“Kirk was a very good hearted and pleasant young man, very talented when it came to sports and a very well loved individual,” she said.

Another close friend, runner Jay Donowa, dedicated his National Cross Country Championship victory on Saturday to him (see the sports report on page 15.)

Mr Simons’ cousin Shirley Burgess and her son Corey said simply: “We will miss you and your big smile.”

Opposition Leader Kim Swan said: “As a former Somerset Bridge/Eagles player myself, it is like if a member of my own extended family has been taken; and a sad reminder of the many friends and family that we have lost tragically on our roads over the years.”

He sent his deepest sympathies to the Simons family and the members of Somerset Bridge Recreation Club.

Mr Simons was the eleventh person to lose his life on Bermuda’s roads this year. Police have appealed for witnesses to the collision to call them with information.

According to a spokesman: “It appears that the taxi was exiting Newstead hotel and the motorcycle was traveling along Harbour Road when the vehicles collided.”

The taxi driver was not injured. Anyone with information should call Inspector Phil Lewis on 295-0011.

Arrangements for Mr Simons’ funeral will be announced at a later date.