Backpacker’s ashes to be scattered so she can ‘visit’ new destinations
THE mother of a backpacker who was stabbed to death at a hostel in Australia has said her daughter’s ashes will be scattered around the world so she “can visit places” she will now never discover.
Mia Ayliffe-Chung, 21, who had a love of travel, was stabbed to death allegedly by a 29-year-old Frenchman at the Shelley’s hostel last week in Home Hill, Queensland.
Writing in a blog, Rosie Ayliffe, of Wirksworth, Derbyshire, also discussed coming to terms with her loss.
She described plans for her daughter’s cremation as she prepares to head for Australia to collect the ashes.
Ms Ayliffe said: “I know some of her friends are struggling with that (the decision to cremate her ‘sooner rather than later’), because they wanted her body brought home and a cremation or burial here in the Wirksworth area, but she has friends all over the place.
“Hence the plan to create a place of remembrance here, but also to give various people vials of Mia’s ashes to scatter in places dear to her or to them.
“That way she can visit places she hasn’t visited yet. Canada, New Singapore.”
She added in the blog for The Independent: “I’ve been told by the family liaison police that I’m at the beginning of a journey and that I’ll experience many emotions. For the past few days the emotions have been at bay, to the extent that I was starting to question yesterday whether I was grieving at all.”
Meanwhile, the family of a Briton injured in the stabbing have said they are “immensely proud” of him after he tried to save Ms Ayliffe-Chung’s life.
Tom Jackson, 30, received critical injuries.
French citizen Smail Ayad has been charged with one count of murder, two counts of attempted murder, one count of serious animal cruelty and 12 counts of serious assault. Zealand,