He was a man, very much in the public eye, yet not a single person had a bad word to say about him. Described as having a cheery disposition, he was a friend and inspiration to many. Already adored by masses of sporting fans having ended a legendary career, he seemed to be on the cusp of a new one, still well liked and as popular as manager of Wales as he was as a player.

Gary Speed was 42, and he was found hanged.

There weren't any suspicious circumstances, the police said.

He left behind a wife,and their closest friends described them as a happy couple; two kids, 13 and 14. All over the world shock was expressed, "blimey, I just saw him on football focus last night, laughing and joking around." The entire Premier League paid their tributes; Shay Given wept in front of the world, Craig Bellamy of Liverpool was given the day off to deal with the loss.

"Football becomes irrelevant at times like this," said a certain Liverpool legend.

As the picture unravels it just gets more and more uncertain, and the death makes less and less sense. He had made holiday plans for the summer, he had no history of depression or illness and didn't seem unstable. Just the day before he had held a dinner party at his house until late. He had been making merry.

He had it all, but it didn't matter.

No one knows what drove him to take his life, and no one saw it coming. To be surrounded by so many, yet alone in whatever torment he must have had. That must have been a terrible thing.

May you have finally found peace Gary Speed, and rest in God alone.