‘Mother’s Day is always hard’
ARENA VICTIM’S MUM KEEPS ALL HIS CARDS IN A BOX – BUT FINDS IT PAINFUL TO LOOK AT THEM
THE mum of Manchester Arena bombing victim Martyn Hett has opened up on the pain of dealing with Mother’s Day – four years after she lost her son.
Figen Murray said although she has a memory box full of cards
Martyn sent over the years, it is a ‘struggle’ to look at them.
Martyn, from Stockport, was among the 22 lives lost when Salman Abedi detonated his suicide bomb in the foyer of the Arena in 2017. He was 29.
Figen has since campaigned tirelessly for a new law to require venues to have better security measures and preparedness for terror attacks.
A national consultation for the proposals is currently underway.
She has also given evidence at the public inquiry into the atrocity, which is still ongoing at Manchester Magistrates’ Court.
Figen said she usually spends special occasions like Mother’s Day visiting the tree planted in Martyn’s memory opposite her home.
“It gives me comfort every day,” she said.
“When I wake up and open the curtains I can see it right in front of me. I can go on my own and feel Martyn with me.”
Figen added: “It might sound daft but you need those things to get you through.
“Martyn is the first thing I think about every morning and knowing his tree, which can live for 1,000 years, is outside is a great comfort. It’s reassuring that it will be here long after I’m gone.
“Mother’s Day is always an emotional day. I have a memory box full of cards that Martyn sent to me, but it is a struggle to look at them. Just knowing I have them is a reassurance.”
Figen turned 60 last month and said she started Mother’s Day by getting her first Covid jab, which she described as a ‘present of sorts.’
“Martyn would have seen the humour in that,” she added.
“If Martyn was here he would usually come round in the afternoon with a big bunch of flowers and scream, ‘Hiya’ in his usual way.
“On the last Mother’s Day before his death he stayed for the whole day.
“We went for a walk, we had some lunch and had a few drinks.”