Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Mum’s ‘unimaginable’ grief
Emily’s mum has spoken of her deep heartbreak following her daughter’s death.
“If you lose a spouse, you are a widow,” she said. “If you lose parents, you are an orphan. “But there is no word for a parent who loses a child.
“No one knows that you are in mourning and it’s difficult to meet people as they always say ‘How are you?’ out of politeness. “I’d like to say ‘how do you think I am? Can you imagine losing your child?’
“But it’s unimaginable unless it has happened to you.
“I wear black every day now and probably will for a while, though no one would know that I am grieving the loss of my beautiful daughter as I can’t really walk around with a black arm band on like footballers.” Emily attended St Peter’s Methodist Primary School in Canterbury, followed by the Langton Girls, and Folkestone College, where she studied art and business.
Abi Griffiths describes her as “the purest soul I ever met”. “She cared without bounds for everyone,” she said.
“Her energy radiated through any space, enticing smiles from everyone around her. “From her colourful hair to her funky clothes or silly jokes, just being around her made people so much happier. Her spirit will never be forgotten.” Emily’s mum describes her as “an intelligent, spiritual, thoughtful young lady who loved art, photography and the natural world”.
“She was looking forward to Christmas and had made a list of the presents she was going to make for her friends and family,” she said. Dreaming of travelling with a friend in a camper van, she was also keen to resume driving lessons, and planning to move in with friends in the new year. But Emily tragically died in the early hours of November 28, after a suspected accidental drug overdose.
On the day of her funeral, many people lined her close in Rough Common, and stood along Rheims Way as the hearse travelled past.
“I asked if everyone could wear black and light a candle that day,” said Ms Set.
“It was not a day to celebrate her life but to mourn her loss.” An inquest into Emily’s death is yet to take place.