Kate Bush paid tribute to one of her dearest friends, Matthew Upham, after the antique dealer was swept out to sea on Christmas Day.
Upham, 63, was one of the two men who went missing during a swim at a beach in Budleigh Salterton, an East Devon town southeast of Exeter, England. Though there were no weather warnings in place, locals participating in the holiday swim said the waters were the "worst conditions" ever seen, per the BBC.
Emergency services began searching around 10:25 GMT and called off the search at 17:00 (5 PM GMT). Soon after, authorities confirmed that Upham was one of the two men lost. His family shared a statement saying they were "heartbroken" by his death, a sentiment Kate Bush shared in her own tribute.
"As you might have heard on the news, Matthew Upham was one of the swimmers who went missing in the sea in Devon on Christmas Day," she wrote in a message posted to her website on Dec. 28. "Matthew was one of my very dearest friends. I'd known him for thirty years."
"He was one of those people who touched everyone he met. He was extraordinarily kind, thoughtful and lived life to the full. He was also a great deal of fun. His family are heartbroken and along with many of his friends, so am I," she continued.
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Bush described Upham as "a very strong swimmer" who had a "great love" for kayaking. "He understood that the sea should be respected. It's so tragic that he lost his life this way," she wrote.
"The world has lost someone incredibly special," concluded Bush. "Thank you, Matthew, for being one of the best friends anyone could have."
Fan accounts shared Kate Bush's tribute and offered their sympathies during her time of loss. "Very sad news," wrote one account, @katebushnews, on X. "Sincerest condolences to Kate and to all Matthew's family and friends."
Mike Brown, 60, who has lived in Budleigh Salterton for nearly 30 years, spoke with the BBC about the conditions on Christmas. Saying they were "the worst" he's seen, Brown said he was only able to get out of the water with the help of "two very brave men," and even then, he suffered "multiple superficial injuries."
"After successive waves crashing me into the stones, I managed to get into relatively shallow water, but I was spent," he said. "I had no energy left to stand, and I'd taken a number of blows to the head. These two men, without any concern for their own safety, waded in to help me."
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On Dec. 26, Matthew Upham's family shared a statement on his business's Instagram. "Our family is heartbroken by the loss of our beloved family member," reads the message. "Matthew is deeply loved and will be forever missed."
The family also shared their "sincere and heartfelt thanks to the emergency services who responded, particularly the RNLI and coastguard, for their dedication, professionalism, and tireless efforts during this extremely difficult time."
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