‘It’s so unfair Jak wasn’t there, but his memory keeps me going’
Tragic teen’s mates invited his mum to their prom
IN her best party dress, she honoured her brave son in the most fitting way possible.
The mum of brave cancer teenager Jak Trueman battled back tears, to take pride of place at what would have been his high school prom.
Allison was guest of honour at Friday’s emotional event, after being invited by her son’s pals.
Jak – who touched the hearts of the nation with his inspirational cancer battle – died in 2015.
His dying wish was to take his girlfriend, Hannah Boyd, to the prom at West Calder High.
An event was hastily arranged which Jak managed to attend, before he died two days later.
But, when their real prom came around last week, all of Jak’s pals knew they wanted their friend’s mum to be therewith them.
Delighted and emotional to be asked along, Allison dressed up in the same stunning monochrome dress she wore to Jak’s special prom.
As she watched his friends celebrate, dressed in their sparkling prom gowns and smart suits, Allison couldn’t stop herself from imagining what it might have been if Jak could have been there.
And she had to fight back the tears as the thoughtful teens presented her with the West Calder High School Year Book – with a special page dedicated to Jak.
It read: “Jak is an important role model to us all – whether we remember him from football, band, Duke of Edinburgh or his beaming smile. He is simply the best. There’s only one Jak Trueman.”
Allison said going to the prom in Jak’s place had left her swallowing back the tears.“There were a few times during the evening that I felt the tears coming,” she said.
“But I pushed them back and tried to smile through it, because it was their night and I didn’t want to take anything away from them.”
Allison added: “I’ve been imagining him looking forward to it and planning it.
“And I have picture in my head of him getting ready to go, wearing a nice blue suit because he was Rangers mad, a nice white shirt and black tie,” she said. “It’s just very unfair that he’s not here.”
Jak was in his fourth year at West Calder High when he fell ill. Doctors diagnosed a rare and aggressive blood cancer.
He was hours away from a potentially life-saving stem cell transplant, but sadly, it wasn’t possible.
He died just 10 days after learning doctors could do nothing further to help him. However during those days Jak raised thousands for charity.
His dogged, determined bravery was inspirational to people across Scotland – but especially to Allison – who said she felt “overwhelmed” when the invitation arrived asking her to join Jak’s friends at their leavers’ prom.
“It was really lovely to be invited, but as it got closer I wasn’t sure if I should be there.
“It’s their big night, and I didn’t want anything to take that away from them.
“So I decided to join them for the meal, and slip out afterwards to leave them to it.
“I decided to wear the dress that I wore to Jak’s prom before he died. I thought it would be nice link back to him.
“I got the tears out before I went, but it was a very emotional night.”
Jak dedicated his final days to raising more than £40,000 for cancer patients.
He spoke bravely at the time of wanting to build a meeting place for young people and their families who find themselves facing the same nightmare.
After he died in February 2015, the fundraising went on and in December that year Jak’s Den opened in Livingston.
The charity has since raised more than £400,000, and further Jak’s Dens are planned for Glenrothes and Aberdeen.
Allison has left her job as a primary school music teacher to concentrate on running Team Jak Foundation: “It’s what keeps me going,” she said.
The charity is helping young people at Jak’s Den and in hospital wards by offering a range of services, from counselling to music therapy which enables children to express themselves and deal with their feelings.
Allison, mum to Jak’s sister Aimie, 19, misses her son every moment of every day. “I see Jak’s friends and I wish Jak could be there with them,” she added.
“It’s not fair, but I just have to carry on and make sure we can help as many people as possible.”
Jak is an important role model to us