Marco Warren, the football star who died in a road incident, was “humble and reflective” about missing out on the FA Cup final, Owen Darrell, the Minister of Youth, Culture and Sport, said.

Mr Darrell spoke movingly in the Senate yesterday about his last conversation with the 29-year-old PHC player and father who died after he was struck by a vehicle while walking in the early hours of Sunday.

Leading Senate tributes to Mr Warren, the minister said the much respected player had taken being ruled out of the prestigious match last month through suspension, after picking up his third yellow card of the season, with good grace and humility.

Mr Darrell, who is also the Government Leader in the Senate, told the Upper House: “I had the opportunity to meet and talk to Mr Warren, not in his capacity as a footballer, but as an employee of [the Department of] Youth and Sport.

“He was always part of the team as he was a supervisor planning the activities for the youth.

“The last conversation we had was actually a few days before the FA Cup final which, as we know, he was unable to be a part of, and he was as humble as can be in the conversation.

“We had a conversation about it and, you know, you would expect someone in that situation to be angry about the situation in which he found himself, that he couldn’t play, and he was quite the opposite.

“Very reflective and even talking about the steps he was going to take to rectify some of the circumstances of why he couldn’t play. So, the news that we got Sunday morning is devastating to the ministry.

“It is a difficult time for the members of Youth and Sport who worked with him.”

Mr Warren was hit on North Shore Road in Hamilton Parish, and discovered by a member of the public at 3.15am, but died after being taken to King Edward VII Memorial Hospital.

Mr Darrell echoed calls by the Bermuda Police Service for people with information regarding the incident which led to Mr Warren’s death to get in touch.

The minister said: “I would like to appeal to anyone who knows anything about the circumstances of which he was tragically lost to please step forward sooner rather than later.”

Joan Dillas-Wright, the President of the Senate, said people needed to help the police with their investigations.

Ms Dillas-Wright said: “If anyone knows anything, please come forward because that is such a senseless death and I am sure that somebody out there can come forward, and, we just pray that they do.”