The mother of a man killed in a crash just outside of Orange on Wednesday morning has issued a heart-breaking tribute.
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Aaron Skelton was driving along Cargo Road at about 1am on December 28, when his car left the road and hit a tree near Woods Lane in Nashdale.
The victim's mum, Kathy Skelton, said the 33-year-old always had "that goofy side to him."
"When I went to ID his body, I was waiting for him to sit up and growl like a dinosaur at me. That's the sort of person he was and the kind of thing he would do," she said.
"His best mate got married in September just gone and Aaron was the best man. At the wedding, the couple did their first dance and then Aaron danced with the bride but then he also danced with the groom. If he could be the ratbag in the group, he would."
Mr Skelton was also a well-known presence within the hockey community, having played in the Western Premier League and more recently, first grade in the Orange competition.
"He started hockey when he was five, that was the rule, sport when you're five," his mum added.
"His uncles, dad and everybody played hockey, so as long as I can remember, he would get an empty paper towel roll and use that to hit things. Hockey was in his blood."
While Mrs Skelton said her son was never the best player on the pitch, he always made sure his presence was felt.
"It was surprising that he was as good as he was, because nobody else in the family was that good," she said.
"Aaron was ADHD, so there were moments of a lot of anger, so hockey was the best thing for him with that, because he could get out on the field and just play.
"He had his moments, but he would get to the stage where he went 'I need a sub' because he felt himself getting angry. Hockey was a really good thing for him."
Mr Skelton was a father to twin boys, who would always love to watch their dad play.
"He made us grandparents, although I was a nanna, because Aaron told me I was too cool to be a grandma," Mrs Skelton added.
"I loved him to death. We're heartbroken."
Officers from Central West Police District have commenced an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash which claimed Mr Skelton's life and a report will be prepared for the information of the coroner.
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