Extraordinary LIVES
I HAVE been very lucky that my husband, Eric, and I have been involved in our grandchildren’s lives. Joe was the only child of our son, Stuart, and had a younger half-sister, Layla. A kind, intelligent young man, he was loved by so many. We always got a big hug and kiss when we saw him. He had such a great rapport with his grandad that listening to them made me laugh. When Joe started school, the children were asked to bring a favourite item to show the class.
Joseph took in a Pikachu pencil case I had knitted for him. He told me: ‘Grandma, everyone loved him, but don’t worry, I didn’t give them your phone number.’ When he was 11, he said: ‘Grandma, when I grow up, I want to be a professor of astrophysics. Will you find me some pencils with rubbers on and a pen, and look after them for me until I go to university?’ Of course, I did, and every now and again he would check that I still had them. Joe has them now. Joe was 14 when he was given his own after-school class to teach 11-year-olds about astrophysics. There was always a teacher present, but Joe took the lesson. He was so
excited when he told me: ‘I wanted to know all about astrophysics at 11, but I had to teach myself. So now I am able to teach what I have learned.’ I asked if he gave them homework and he replied: ‘No, I don’t believe in it!’ One day, he asked me to teach him how to knit so he could make a jacket for university. He took to it straight away. Joe stayed over with us that night and when we popped in to say goodnight, he was sitting up in bed still knitting. Joe’s life was so full: he loved music, singing and acting. Joe sang and played guitar in the band Special Measures — named after his school’s classification. He taught himself to play other instruments, including the accordion. He made a big impression in school shows such as Guys & Dolls and The Sound Of Music. Joe decided to take a gap year before university and went solo, writing his own songs, which he performed on YouTube. In April, he went to Sardinia to meet his other grandad’s family.
Two weeks after he came home, he felt unwell, which wasn’t like him. He lay on the sofa all day not able to do anything. He collapsed in his mum’s arms and was taken to Brighton Hospital, where acute myeloid leukaemia was diagnosed. Our lovely Joe died the next day. He had so many dreams and ambitions. Now he is with the stars in the sky he loved so much.