Woman who ‘made everyone laugh’ died weeks after becoming a gran
WHEN Courtney Edwards told her mother Amanda Knowlton that she was going to be a grandmother, Mandy joked “I’m too young to be a grandmother!” and insisted on being called Glamma.
Devastatingly, five weeks after Courtney gave birth to baby Isla in May last year, Mandy died at the age of 44.
Eldest sibling Courtney had to organise her mum’s funeral, at the age of 23, while also looking after a newborn.
Mandy’s death was sudden and while a post-mortem examination showed she experienced a brain bleed, the family are still awaiting an inquest to be held.
Describing her mother, Courtney said: “She was just the funniest person. She was hilarious.
“She made everyone laugh, she really was the life and soul of the party.”
Courtney, from Llanharry, said she treasures the time that her daughter had with her Glamma.
“Even though it was only five weeks, they had a lovely bond,” she said.
“She was so in love with her. I loved watching them together.”
Courtney has three younger siblings and her sister Caitlin still lived at home with her mum, so Courtney moved back into the family home with Isla and her partner so they could navigate the grief of losing a mother together.
It was extremely difficult for the mum, in the depths of postpartum difficulties, learning how to be a mother herself, while grieving for the mother she had just lost.
All of the emotional challenges were exasperated by the financial challenges.
Courtney explained that while they did have a little bit of financial help to cover the costs of Mandy’s funeral, she spent all of her savings to top it up, and while she would do that again in a heartbeat, it has left her in a position where she has no money to fall back on.
And she hadn’t even considered the cost of a headstone for her mum.
She is now trying to use TikTok to pay for it.
Courtney is part of TikTok’s Beta programme, which means she can generate income from the videos she posts, and though it can be very little, she explained it is something, and everything makes a difference.
She posted a video asking people to watch and interact with her videos, as she plans to use that money to pay for her mum to have a headstone.
The more people who watch the videos, the more money Courtney can make from them. She has also set up a fundraiser.
She said: “I just can’t stand the thought that Isla is going to grow up and not remember her, so I want to make a space where she can come and see her Glamma.”
By sharing her story on TikTok, Courtney has found comfort in speaking to others who have found themselves in similar situations, having lost parents shortly after welcoming a child.
Courtney also shares videos about parenting, and navigating grief as a parent to a young child. You can follow her account at @courtxed
Isla is due to become a big sister this year, as Courtney is expecting a baby boy in September.
It brought a fresh wave of heartbreak for the mum, as it was bittersweet knowing Mandy would never meet this baby.
She said: “Aside from my partner, my mum was the first person I wanted to tell when I found out I was pregnant.
“I was excited but my heart sank that I wouldn’t get to tell my mum.”