Families pay tribute to four men killed after their car crashed into a tree
Police on patrol discovered a black Renault Clio that had left the road on the A436 shortly before 2am on Sunday.
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The families of four men killed after their car crashed into a tree in Gloucestershire have spoken of an “ocean of sadness” after their deaths.
Police on patrol discovered a black Renault Clio that had left the road and collided with a tree on the A436 at Ullenwood, near Cheltenham, shortly before 2am on Sunday, killing all four friends.
Gloucestershire Police have now been named as 18-year-old Andrei Tudorov, a Romanian national who was visiting Gloucestershire on holiday, along with Lyuben Gogov, Narcis Titianu and Ioan Toma, all aged 20, who were living in Gloucester.
Mr Gogov was a Bulgarian national, while Mr Titianu and Mr Toma were Romanian nationals, the force said.
Mr Tudorov’s mother, Iolanda, paid tribute to her “angel” son, saying: “He was going to take the Baccalaureate and go to Campina and wanted to become a policeman.
“Andrei had been doing sports since he was four years old.
“He was a warm and loving soul, a good brother, an angel who took flight much too soon, leaving behind an ocean of sadness, both in his family and among his friends”.
Mr Titianu’s family paid tribute to the “boundless love and joy” he brought to those that knew him.
They said: “As the youngest of three siblings, Narcis brought boundless love and joy into the lives of his family and friends.”
“Words cannot fully capture the essence of Narcis, our handsome and intelligent brother.
“Though he is no longer with us, we hold onto the hope that we will be reunited one day, when God will come.
“Until then, his memory will live on in our hearts, an irreplaceable part of our lives,” they added.
Mr Tomu’s family said he was a “beacon of light” in their lives and “the epitome of joy and warmth”.
They said: “He was not just a brother – he was the epitome of joy and warmth.
“Ioan’s constant smile and infectious laughter could light up the darkest room, and his presence brought happiness to all who knew him.”
The parents of Mr Gogov paid tribute to their son’s “everlasting smile” and thanked him for “all the memories and joy” he had given them.
They said: “Losing a son is one of the hardest losses to have to get through in life.
“You’ll always remain in our thoughts.
“Thanks for all the memories and joy you’ve given us.
“May you everlasting smile always remain in our hearts.”