Tragic mum’s pledge to help new hospice
By Margaret Clayton
 Sarah said, “We have lost our son and we are still learning to live with the pain of our grief. Some days are very difficult, other days we manage to cope. But we will never forget our boy.
“When you lose a child, it makes you more open to the suffering of other people. One Sunday morning I opened The Sunday Post and I read about the little golden-haired girl Robyn, who is suffering from a rare genetic disease. She is her parents’ only child and they won’t have any more.
“I said to my husband — we must
try to do something for that wee girl and others like her. We were planning our memorial dance and we decided there and then to give the proceeds to your appeal.”
Sarah and Brian first held a memorial dance last year, and raised £1265 for the Southern General Hospital, where Craig spent his last days. He was the youngest of three children in the Russell family, a second year pupil at Drumchapel High School where Brian is the
jannie.
“He was full of mischief,” said his mum, “but he always had an explanation to justify what he was up to. His nature was open, cheerful and friendly.”
Pictures in his home show a bright-faced schoolboy with a sprinkling of freckles and a cheeky smile. On October 23, 1998, he went out with his friends. On a road near his home, he was involved in an accident with one car and thrown into the path of another. Sarah said. “At that moment, my life just stopped.
“For five days we watched him lying unconscious in a hospital bed.
We were hoping and praying for a miracle, but Craig never regained consciousness.”
In the months after his death, Sarah and Brian threw themselves into campaigning for a 20 mph restriction on Drumry Road East, where the accident happened. The year before, a classmate of Craig’s was also killed at the blackspot.
The council has now imposed the speed limit.
Slowly, Sarah, Brian and their son and daughter Brian (20) and Pauline (18) are rebuilding their lives. The birth of a grandson, Ryan, eight months ago has helped a lot. But they are determined to celebrate Craig’s life every year by doing something for others.
“We’ve followed your Sunday Post campaign, and we want to support the children and the people working so hard to help build a new hospice.
“Craig’s life is over, but hopefully some children will benefit from his memorial dance.”
The dance will be held in the John Oliver Function Suite, Drumchapel, on November 3. There will be a buffet and prize draw.
You can e-mail us at:
hospice@sundaypost.com
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Sarah — determined to celebrate Craig’s life by doing something for others.
