LIGHT IN THE GLOOM
Grieving mum tells of how son has ‘kept her going’ after death of daughter
THROUGH her darkest days he’s been her shining light. When Pauline Wright’s daughter Caitlain died she did not know how she would keep going. But the teenager’s little brother Patrick has helped his mum through. Despite coping with his own loss at such a young age, the brave 10-year-old has helped support Pauline through her unbearable grief. And today on the first anniversary of Caitlain’s death, Pauline has paid tribute to all those that have been there for her during the hardest year of her life. The 45-year-old said: “Patrick keeps me going. He has been there for me when he is grieving himself. He should really be behind at school after everything he’s been through but he’s doing so well.” Caitlain seemed to have everything to live for when her life was cut short at the age of just 17, a year ago today. The popular teen is believed to have taken a fatal dose of medication while at her boyfriend’s house. After taking pills, Caitlain called an ambulance herself and was conscious and talking when she arrived at hospital. But tragically the damage had already been done to Caitlain’s young body, and there was nothing medics could do to save her. Pauline does not believe her daughter intended to take her own life, but swallowed the pills as a ‘cry for help.’ Over the past 12 months, Pauline has struggled to come to terms with her loss, while desperately trying to put on a brave face for her son. “I do have a lot of nightmares. Caitlain comes to me in my dreams. You think you will get some respite in your sleep but sometimes you don’t,” she said. “One minute I will be alright, then the next I will break down for hours. “It’s the little things that set me off. Like seeing girls her age walking down the street. A lot of the time I mask it with a smile and try to be funny. But I’m over-the-top just to hide it all.” Thankfully, brave Patrick has received amazing support from staff at Star of the Sea RC Primary School, in
Whitley Bay, where he is a pupil.
The school runs a ‘Rainbows Club’ for children who have suffered a bereavement.
And Pauline says her son comes home with tips that have helped her with her own grief.
“It really has helped him massively,” she said. “He comes home and tells us things to help us. It is hard though, if one person is having a good day and the other is having a bad day.”
In a painful coincidence in dates, an inquest into Caitlain’s death will be held on Tuesday.
But Pauline told the Chronicle she will not be attending the hearing.
Caitlain’s family and friends will mark the anniversary of her death with a mass at St Edward’s Catholic Church in Whitley Bay.
And on Saturday night her young pals released balloons into the sky in Whitley Bay in her memory.
And Pauline says she will forever be grateful to Caitlain’s friends for the way they have helped since her daughter died.
“To be honest, I just want to thank everybody for bringing me so far,” she said. If it hadn’t been for the help and support of Caitlain’s friends, I don’t know how I would have coped. A lot of them have never been through a bereavement, but they still call me and send me messages. It helps keep me close to Caitlain.”
Caitlain spent her early childhood in Wallsend, before moving to Whitley Bay.
She was a pupil at Star of the Sea, before moving on to St Thomas More RC Academy.
Pauline said her daughter struggled to settle at the high school, in North Shields, and had difficulty concentrating.
But her school life changed for the better when she transferred to Monkseaton High School where she thrived and made scores of close friends.
The caring teen established herself as a trusted confidante among her circle of pals and was always there when others needed her, said Pauline.
After leaving Monkseaton High, Caitlain got a job on the geriatric ward at North Tyneside General Hospital. But she left after becoming the victim of an attack at a house party in Newcastle in March last year. Georgia Watler, 23, of Orpington Avenue in Walker has admitted assault and is awaiting sentence. Caitlain had been at her boyfriend Jordan’s home in Longbenton when it is thought she took pills. Pauline discovered what had happened when a doctor at the Royal Victoria Infirmary, in Newcastle, called her the following morning.
Pauline held Caitlain’s hand as medics desperately tried to revive her with chest compressions after her heart stopped, and she begged her daughter to pull through.
But Caitlain’s body had been poisoned the moment she swallowed the medication, and there was nothing anyone could do.