“OUR HEARTS WILL FOREVER BE BROKEN” — PARENTS PAY EMOTIONAL TRIBUTE TO SCOTS DAD AFTER TRAGIC WORKPLACE COLLAPSE

Joseph “Joe” Hobbs was just 23 years old. Now, his grieving parents are facing life without their beloved son, while his young boy, Axel, has lost a father who should have been there to watch him grow up.

A family is struggling to come to terms with an unimaginable loss after a young Scottish father died in a workplace trench collapse alongside his colleague.

Joseph “Joe” Hobbs, 23, originally from Glasgow, was working in the Ballygowan Road area of Crossnacreevy, County Down, Northern Ireland, on Friday, October 2, 2026, when the devastating incident occurred.

His colleague and friend, Mark Glover, 38, also lost his life.

Emergency services were called to the scene at around 10:45 a.m. Despite efforts to help the men, both were pronounced dead at the scene.

But behind the headlines are two families whose lives have been changed forever — and parents now facing the heartbreaking reality of losing a son far too young.

“OUR HEARTS WILL FOREVER BE BROKEN”

Joe’s parents, Joseph and Lisa McMullen Hobbs, shared an emotional tribute as they tried to express the depth of their grief.

In their statement, they described the tragedy as devastating for everyone involved and remembered their son as someone who brought love, happiness and plenty of laughter to the people around him.

Their words offered a glimpse of the young man they knew and loved — not simply a name associated with a workplace tragedy, but a son whose presence made a difference in the lives of those closest to him.

The family’s tribute included a particularly painful description of the role Joe held in his own little family.

They remembered him as “the most amazing dad to his lovely son Axel.”

Those words have become a poignant reminder of what makes this loss so difficult: Joe was not only a beloved son, but also a young father whose life was closely intertwined with the future of his little boy.

A FATHER WHO SHOULD HAVE HAD SO MANY MORE YEARS

Joe had moved from Glasgow to the Comber area, where he was living and working.

He was only 23, an age when so many milestones still lie ahead — watching a child grow, celebrating birthdays, making family memories and building a future together.

For his parents, the loss means saying goodbye to the son they raised and cherished.

For Axel, it means growing up without his father there to share the everyday moments that make childhood special.

No tribute can fully explain the pain of that reality. But the family’s words make one thing clear: Joe was deeply loved, and the happiness he brought to those around him will not be forgotten.

TWO FAMILIES UNITED IN GRIEF

Joe was not the only man lost in the incident.

Mark Glover, 38, also died following the collapse, leaving his own family, friends and loved ones devastated.

The deaths have sent shockwaves through the communities connected to both men, with tributes highlighting the human lives behind the tragedy.

A fundraising appeal was launched to help support the families with funeral expenses and other costs. Reports published in the days following the incident said the campaign had raised more than £21,000 toward a £28,000 target.

The outpouring of support has offered a measure of comfort at a time when both families are facing an enormous emotional and practical burden.

QUESTIONS REMAIN ABOUT THE TRAGEDY

The circumstances surrounding the workplace collapse are still being investigated.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland said the deaths were not being treated as suspicious, while enquiries continued in conjunction with the Health and Safety Executive.

The investigation will seek to establish what happened at the work site. No conclusions about the cause should be drawn before the relevant enquiries are completed.

For the families, however, the immediate reality is already painfully clear: two much-loved men are gone, and the people who knew them must now learn to live with their absence.

MORE THAN A TRAGIC HEADLINE

It can be easy to read a headline and move on to the next story. But for Joe’s parents, he will always be their son — the young man who brought laughter into their lives and whose future they never imagined would be cut short this way.

For Axel, he will always be Dad.

And for everyone who loved Joe, the memories they shared will remain part of a life that mattered far beyond the circumstances of his final day.

His parents’ tribute says it all: they are heartbroken, they miss their boy, and the love they have for him will endure.

🤍 Our thoughts are with the Hobbs and Glover families, and everyone affected by this heartbreaking workplace tragedy.