The 47-year-old, known as Ricky, was found dead in a car park in Lowfield Street near Priory Shopping Centre just after 11.30am on February 20.
The News Shopper exclusively talked to Ricky’s niece, Nicole Speer, who said that her uncle was a family man who “loved putting smiles on people’s faces without asking for anything back.”
She said: “My uncle lived a lot of lives in one life, he was known by the community for hanging around the Sainsbury’s in Dartford.
“He was always lovely and caring to everyone, he never asked anything or wanted anything from anyone.
“He was just so caring and would strike up conversations with anyone that he would see on the street.”
Nicole’s earliest memory of her uncle was when he taught her how to swim when she was around 11-years-old.
The 19-year-old said Ricky was also a talented artist who would draw portraits for Nicole when she was a young girl.
She explained: “One of my earliest memories of him was when he taught me how to swim. That was really important for me.
“He also loved drawing, and he was just extremely amazing and talented with his drawings.
“It was a hobby for him that he just loved doing, and it put a lot of smiles on everyone’s faces.
“He used to write me cards, which he would decorate himself and once he drew a huge picture of a princess for me and it was so detailed.
“It looked like it was something that was printed out and not drawn. That’s how talented he was.”
Nicole said she wants Ricky to be remembered as someone who “loved living life to the fullest”.
She added: “He just loved living life which is why is so sad that he’s gone now, he’s someone who didn’t want to die.
“He enjoyed every minute of every day, even if he was having a bad day.
“He was proud of his family and had so much love for everyone, especially his sister Gayle and brother Ken.”
A spokesperson for Kent Police confirmed that Ricky’s death is being treated as non suspicious.
The full statement from Kent Police says: “Kent Police was called at 11.23am on Tuesday 20 February 2024, to report that a person had been found deceased in a car park near Lowfield Street, Dartford.
“Officers attended and enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances.
“The death is not currently being treated as suspicious.”
