In mid-February, my Mum was diagnosed with a brain tumour. While we understood the gravity of the situation, she was surprisingly doing okay, so we made the tough call to travel as we were due to depart within a few days.
During our trip, we kept in touch with daily video calls. However, late on the 18th March, she suddenly deteriorated, prompting us to return home as soon as we anchored outside Nosy Be, Madagascar. Everything fell into place, and we had a smooth journey back, arriving in the UK the next day. I was able to spend time with my Mum; she rallied for two days, which was wonderful, but sadly she passed away on the 26th.
Having that last week together without the stress of work was invaluable. Since returning to the office a few weeks ago, staying busy has been a great help. My strong work ethic, which I owe to my Mum, has been a source of comfort. She was born in rural Ireland and didn’t have the same opportunities we did, so she always encouraged us to make the most of ours.
We are a close-knit family and always made it a point to have at least one holiday a year together. After my Dad passed away in 2022, we took to cruising, but before that, we enjoyed family holidays at various golf resorts across Europe and big house stays in France. We have so many wonderful memories.
My Mum’s funeral is on 24th April, which would have also been her Birthday, and it will be held in Basingstoke where she lived (and I was brought up!). Consequently, I will be out of the office from 23rd to 25th April. Rest assured, our emergency service will be operational, and Stephanie will be diligently covering in my absence.
Your heartfelt condolences have been deeply appreciated during this challenging time, thank you for your understanding and support.