Hi,

Please read. I doubt very much you will ever hear a story full of so much heartache, pain and down right misfortune.

I’m not sure who to contact or wether this story has any credence for public sharing. I just feel this story is full of astonishing bad luck and heartache and want to tell my mum’s story to anyone who will listen, as I believe she needs recognisin for her unwavering strength and courage in a time of grief, that most people couldn’t even begin to imagine. My mum is 58 years old and has lost 8 siblings in 10 years, not one making it beyond 65 years old. She lost her parents also when she was young, and neither parent made it past 60 years of age also. Something that is always at the back of mum’s mind, being 58. Her strength was firstly put to the test when myself (her son), became a heroin addict about 10 years ago. I nearly lost my life, I stole from my parents and had all the unsavoury unpleasantries that come with that lifestyle. I created untold pain on both parents and both suffer now with high blood pressure as a result. With hard work and dedication I have turned my life around and have been clean a number of years. That was just a taste of the pains yet to come. 2 years ago my mum lost the youngest and closest of her sisters to cancer, who was only 49 years old. She was a single parent with 4 grown up children. Her name was Evelyn. My mom was devastated but stayed strong for Evelyn’s kids and grandkids. 6 months ago, I lost an uncle who was married to my mums sister Janet, to cancer after only a 2 month battle. His name was Kevin. Then 2 weeks ago my mum’s sister Janet suddenly passed, again to cancer, 2 days after diagnosis. My mum collapsed on hearing the news. Their 3 children and my mum were simply devastated. They say the heartache of losing Kevin 6 months prior, hit her immune system, literally a broken heart contributed to her diagnosis. We buried her yesterday. It doesn’t end there. On Monday, my mum’s niece Selina, who was the daughter to my mum’s youngest sister Evelyn, was rushed to hospital after having a severe asthma attack. She had a panic attack, a cardiac arrest, and an anaphylactic shock, then lost oxygen to her brain for 30 mins. She was put into an induced coma and had severe brain damage. We were hopeful she would battle through. My mum was by her bedside all the time. As Selina had already lost her mum, my mum was her guardian and felt responsible for her. A promise she gave Evelyn on her death bed. So again she was distraught. We buried my aunty Janet yesterday and as we waited for the hurst to arrive at the house, we got the phone call we dreaded. Selina had lost her fight. 29 years of age cut down after playing netball days before. The scream shattered the already morbid atmosphere among those gathering outside aunty Janet’s house. A sound that will haunt me for ever. My mom fell to her knees. Waiting for her sisters coffin to arrive and then finding out her niece had just passed, who my mum viewed as a daughter. Could you imagine? This is all happening on Friday 14th October, my mum’s only granddaughters 3rd birthday, my daughter Eva-Vienna. Now Selina has one child, 11 year old Remaya. She has now lost the 2 closest people in her life. Her Nan Evelyn who was 49 and her mum Selina who was 29. I can’t even begin to feel the devastation that poor girl must be feeling. To finally add insult to an already unbelievable time, my dad was admitted to hospital on Monday also. He has septic arthritis in his knee and is having an operation tomorrow (Sunday). My mum has been shuttling to and from 2 different hospitals, a funeral and her granddaughter. All whilst dealing with deaths of people taken in their prime and extremely close to her and without the support of her rock, her husband. My dads condition is potentially life threatening, septic arthritis causes septicaemia and can cause death or loss of a joint. How my mum is even standing, I do not know. My partner and I are obviously doing all we can, but all this centres around my mum Val. Please please can someone help me to deliver this incredible turn of events to somewhere where it may recognise my mum’s courage. I may be bias, but surly this is unprecedented. I hope so much this doesn’t fall on deaf ears. My mum deserves a little bit of happiness during a time of so much pain and sadness.

We have also set up a just giving page for the costs associated with a sudden death. The family have no provisions and lived a simple life with very little finances. We would greatly appreciate any help your paper can provide in getting this information out there. So we can at least give Selina a send off h