‘HER DEATH LEFT HUGE HOLE IN OUR LIVES’
AYEAR after he lost his soulmate and their unborn baby, Gareth Jones says Ruth and Rhodri are still “a powerful force” in his life. The 42-year-old, below, has devoted his time to campaigning and fundraising since his partner Ruth Salisbury died suddenly after a cardiac arrest last summer when she was seven months pregnant. “Her death left a huge hole everyone’s lives,” said Gareth. The couple, who had been together for 10 years, had been to see the Manic Street Preachers at Cardiff Castle on June 5 last year when mum-to-be Ruth collapsed. Gareth and Ruth were looking forward to welcoming their first child, who they had decided to call Rhodri, into the world when doctors noticed something was wrong at the 20-week scan. The baby was diagnosed with congenital diapharagmatic hernia, known as CDH, which means the diaphragm fails to develop properly. According to figures from charity CDH UK, the condition affects about one in every 2,500 babies. Gareth said: “Doctors normally give babies with CDH a 50-50 survival rate, in but because ours had a far rarer version of the condition, it meant the chances of survival were far worse.
“Despite the challenges, we were e determined to give him the best t chance of life.”
But when music lover Ruth col- lapsed just hours after the Manicc Street Preachers gig in the earlyy hours of June 6, Gareth would tragi- cally lose them both.
Ruth, who worked for the Educa- tion Achievement Service in Gwent, , was 35 when she died.
In the last year, Gareth, of Adams- down, Cardiff, has raised more than n £14,000 for CDH UK, which sup- ported the couple following thee diagnosis. He has taken part in thee Welsh Three Peaks Challenge, Car- diff Half Marathon and Velothon n Wales, as well as organising a ball att the Principality Stadium.
Gareth also created a bilingual book of Welsh speaker Ruth’s s favourite recipes called Tamaidd o’r Ser, meaning Taste of thee Stars, which he launched at the e Great Roath Bake Off in April.
Since then, the book – which h contains recipes from famous s chefs like Great British Bakee Off star Mary Berry – has sold d more than 700 copies.
“The book has had a really y good reaction,” said Gareth.
“Ruth loved cooking and it’s nice to be able to share one of her passions with people in a positive way.”
Gareth has decided to bake a cake every year onn June 6 in memory of Ruth h and Rhodri.
“I will be spending the e day reflecting,” he said.
“Ruth and Rhodri are still l a powerful force in my life and will continue to be so.
“They They giveg me the drive to keep going and keep doing whath i is important. That is what drives me to keep fundraising and keep raising a awareness about CDH.”
Gareth, an auditor, is also planning to do a tandem sky dive for the charity with his sister Catherine later this month as part of CDH Awareness Month .
“Ruth loved music and we would have gone to see the Stereophonics together this weekend, but she’s not here,” said Gareth.
“I was so lucky to have had the amazing opportunity of spending many years in her company. Ruth was my soulmate and for that I will be forever thankful.
“She was a beautiful, intelligent, driven and caring young woman who inspired all those who knew and worked with her.”
Tamaid o’r Ser is available at www. ebay.co.uk/egw/ebay-for-charity/ charity-profile/CDH-UK/45841