A globe-trotting dog trainer and comedian has been remembered as a beloved, larger-than-life figure after his tragic sudden death.
Tony Knight, 54, was at the ‘Music and Cars’ festival in Lavaur, southern France, when a large tree branch fell on him and six other attendees. He was the only casualty.
The Englishman had just finished paying off a home in nearby Bouillac, where he planned to settle down with his Aussie partner of 15 years, Hayley Wright.
Ms Wright’s sister, Joanna Allen, revealed Mr Knight wasn’t with his partner at the festival and had messaged her an inside joke just moments before the accident.
The time difference meant Ms Wright saw the message as she was about to fall asleep and didn’t get the chance to respond.
Mr Knight was a world-renowned ‘dog listener’ and even helped train the pooches of stars such as Molly Meldrum, Sonia Kruger and the Dubai Royal Family.
‘He was fit, he was passionate, he was charismatic, funny. He was just a good guy,’ Ms Allen told Daily Mail Australia.
Before moving to France, he lived in Australia for several years, where he performed regular stand-up comedy shows across Victoria and expanded his dog training business online.
Tributes have poured in for world-renowned dog trainer, Tony Knight (pictured), after he was tragically killed by a falling branch at a French music festival last month
Ms Allen said her heartbroken sister and Mr Knight were like ‘two peas in a pod’ and would often travel across Europe together to chase summer.
Ms Wright has now had to travel to the home they intended to share to organise his funeral and a wake with his family in the UK.
‘I think the hard part will be her coming home to the farm because he’s been there for four years and he’s he’s been pretty handy around the place,’ Ms Allen said.
‘Our mom’s home now on the farm she’s to says he’s everywhere … everywhere you go, there’s Tony.’
Ms Allen also remembered the sudden shock of being told that the full-of-life Mr Knight had suddenly died, saying ‘all your hope is dashed in that moment’.
‘Mum phoned me and said, “Tony has been killed,” you just can’t comprehend it, like, what you mean killed? How can how can he be killed?’ she said.
‘But that’s the word, he’s dead and we’re never going to see him again. That’s pretty hard.’
Mr Knight had just started to live the life he dreamed of, working with dogs while travelling the world while having a home in a quaint French town, Ms Allen said.
‘If he had a thought, he never believed he couldn’t do and just went for it.’
The Englishman had only just finished paying off his home in a nearby town in France which he intended to live in with his devastated Aussie partner of 15 years Hayley Wright (both pictured)
Mr Knight was remembered as a larger than life figure who wanted to have a shot at everything, even taking to stand-up comedy which landed him a regular show in Ballarat
Ms Allen fondly remembered Mr Knight being the family larrikin during Christmas often stoking the English vs Australian rivalry in backyard cricket.
Ms Allen launched a GoFundMe earlier this week to help support her sister which has already raised over $4,600.
‘(My sister is) arranging a funeral, covering hospital expenses, meeting police detectives, doctors and the mayor, visiting the accident site and sorting Tony’s estate,’ the fundraising page reads.
‘All while experiencing a crushing amount of grief and disbelief in a foreign country.
‘Tony we will love and miss you forever, life will not be the same but we will wrap our arms around your beloved Hayley.’
Lavaur mayor, Bernard Carayon, told the media that ‘never has such a dramatic event happened in out town’.
‘I have expressed our profound compassion to the family in this difficult time,’ he said.