Dad, 36, died after looking up at roadsweeper and stepping into manhole

A 36-year-old dad of two died after stepping into an open manhole cover while at work. Rachel Archer says she waved her partner David off to work not knowing that would be the last time she would see him alive.

In November 2023, David, 36, was working on a sewerage extension on a housing estate in Ramsgate, Kent. Distracted by a passing road sweeper, David looked up and fell into an open manhole.

Despite the efforts of firefighters and paramedics, he could not be saved. At an inquest, it was revealed that David’s training had lapsed and he should not have been working on the site. The coroner said David had done nothing wrong and described the tragedy as a “really tragic accident”.

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Rachel, 39, said: “The anger is there sometimes – I ask why, and acceptance is hard. But we’ve had incredible support from the school, the community, friends and family. We are stronger than ever.”

Rachel is now raising the couple’s two children, Jack, 10, and Poppy, six., and describes them as her motivation to keep going.

“Our lives have completely changed since losing David,” she said. “Grief is like the most horrific rollercoaster, but I’ve got two beautiful children who deserve to feel happy, loved, safe and secure. They are my drive, 100%.”

The family make sure David, who was known to friends as ‘Ogga’, is remembered every day, sharing stories, routines and ideas from their time together. Rachel says Jack and Poppy are now thriving thanks to school, routine, and activities such as football, swimming, and dancing.

For Rachel, an occupational therapist from Deal, Kent, keeping busy is one of the ways she copes. Her greatest focus has been founding a new charity in David’s name – the OGGA Foundation BRAVE – to help bereaved children like her own.

BRAVE stands for Bereaved and Readjusting to Various Emotions and was founded in March 2024. “I knew how difficult it would be to get the right support services for Jack and Poppy,” Rachel said. “So I created something to give children a safe space. Starting the foundation has been my healing.”

The charity runs play-based sessions for children up to 12 who have lost a parent. “They call it a party, which is exactly what I wanted,” Rachel said. “Friendships form, the children feel safe, and we can offer counselling if needed. For me, it’s about making sure no child feels alone on this journey.”

Rachel and David met in 2004 and had planned to marry. She uses his surname and intends to officially take it by March next year.

Now, nearly two years after his death, she is learning to live with the loss of “the most wonderful partner and dad I could have ever wished for”.

“We talk about Daddy every day, and that’s how we keep him with us,” she said. “Life will never be the same, but Jack and Poppy deserve to feel loved and safe – and that’s what keeps me going.”