DARREN McCubbing had dreams of returning to college and starting a career as a cartoonist.
But the 19-year-old, whose body was found on a patch of land in Wolverham, never got to fulfil his ambitions.
He lived with his parents Desmond and Sue McCubbing in Kenilworth Court, just minutes from where he was discovered on Thursday morning.
His father told the Pioneer: 'Darren was our son and we loved him very much.
'We will miss him being around. Darren was just a teenager with his whole life ahead of him.'
Darren, an only child, was between jobs at the time, and was hoping to go to West Cheshire College to study furniture design.
Mr McCubbing said: 'He loved art and drawing.
'He'd made his mind up he wanted to go to college.
'He wanted to go on to become a cartoonist, drawing the cartoons you see on TV. But he couldn't find a way into the job. That was his main ambition.'
He described Darren, who was a former pupil of Stanney High School, as a 'quiet lad'.
Mr McCubbing said: 'He didn't like nightclubs, he just preferred being with friends.
'He was quiet and very gentle, that's the way he was.
'He was very popular, with lots of friends. We've had lots of people coming to the house, the doorbell just hasn't stopped ringing.
'My wife and I can't thank people enough for thinking of us at this time, and paying their respects to Darren.'
He said Darren liked rap music, too, and was always playing it in the house.
'His death has left my wife and I broken-hearted,' added Mr McCubbing.
