Father of mum-of-four reveals his heartache after she died in crash as he launches a fund raising campaign to help his daughter’s children
Dad’s tribute to Gemma, 32, killed in crash
THE family of a ‘special’ mum-of-four have told of their heartache after she was killed alongside her friend in a double fatal crash.
Grandfather-of-12 Kevin Gregory was on holiday when he received a devastating phone call from the police to tell him his daughter Gemma Gregory had died.
Now the 48-year-old is determined to do everything he can to give Gemma’s four young children – one of whom is severely disabled – the best possible lives.
And to help achieve his goal, he has set up a fund-raising page in Gemma’s honour who was just 32 when her life was tragically cut short.
Kevin, from Alsager, said: “I was told about it on Sunday morning. I was away on holiday and it was such a shock. I then came home and the police came to speak to me.
“She was a fabulous daughter and a wonderful mum.
“She was so special and will never be forgotten. It’s devastating that she won’t see the kids grow up and our focus is on them right now.
“All the girls are doing so well given what’s happened. We are trying to make things as normal as possible for them.”
Former Victoria Community High School pupil Gemma, who was originally from Crewe but was living in Congleton, and her 22-year-old friend Drew Pedley were both killed when the car they were in hit a tree on the A34 Congleton Road near Marton.
She leaves behind her three daughters – aged seven, eight and nine – and three-year-old AJ who was born with the rare genetic disorder spinal muscular atrophy which causes progressive weakness in all muscles and means breathing and swallowing is difficult.
Kevin added: “She achieved so much in her short life, especially with little AJ.
“When he was born, Gemma didn’t know anything was wrong. He had seemed perfectly healthy at first.
“It was only on his three-month check-up that the health visitor noticed there was something wrong with his movement and he was more floppy than he should have been. He was sent in for tests.
“Up to that point she thought she was bringing up a normal healthy boy and then to be told that he would be severely disabled and would never live a normal life was hard.
“It was a huge shock when he was diagnosed but Gemma being Gemma coped really well and took it all in her stride. She learned how to care for him.
“She was thrown into the deep-end and she just got on with it. She did everything for him and the other kids.
“She wanted to give AJ the best life possible. Some times, if the carers had let her down she would be looking after him for 36 hours straight.
“She didn’t let anything faze her. Her life revolved around AJ and his sisters. She just dealt with everything that life threw at her.
“AJ was only given a life-expectancy of two years. He’s coming up to four so he’s doing really well.
“We always thought AJ would go be before her so it’s just heartbreaking.”
Th The Gofundme initially had a target of £1,000 but that has now been in increased to £3,000.
Th The money will go towards Gemma’s fu funeral costs, the Spinal Muscular At Atrophy UK charity which has helped AJ and towards the other children.
K Kevin added: “We have been blown aw away how generous everyone has be been. People who didn’t even know G Gemma have donated. If I could th thank them all personally I would.
““She was very caring and would al always put others first. If someone needed help, then she’d be there. It’s nice to see that there are other people li like her out there who are willing to help h in these awful times.
“We have a big family and they would all want to be at the funeral but that’s not going to be possible because of Covid. I just hope I can do Gemma proud.”