Last goodbye
Dying from cancer, Ian used the precious time he had left to record messages for his loved ones…
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My Wonderful Life thursday, 9.00pm Sky One
Aged just 56, Ian Edmunds died from advanced prostate cancer in June 2016 – but not before he’d planned amazing surprises and recorded messages for his friends and family.
Keen to bring happiness and comfort to his wife, brother, cousin and two close friends, Ian set about creating lasting memories of their time together.
‘I’ve been so lucky to have these people in my life,’ says Ian from Wolverhampton, who was filmed before his death for a four-part series that also features three other people facing terminal illness. ‘I want to leave a legacy so they know how important they’ve been.’
Ian’s loved ones finally get to see the results of his emotional messages.
His cousin and best friend, Gary, returns to the venue in Wolverhampton where he and Ian first saw Slade in 1973. After hearing Ian’s message, lifelong Slade fan Gary then gets to meet Noddy Holder – as organised by Ian.
‘Ian contributed such a lot to my life – he was a very good friend,’ says Gary. ‘And to get to meet Noddy… absolute dream.’
Ian’s brother, Neil, is also heartened to hear a message from Ian making amends for drifting apart.
But the most heart-wrenching message is saved for Ian’s grieving wife, Christine.
In it, Ian thanks her for the 22 years they spent together and urges her to be happy before Christine is surprised by a special event. ‘It just reminds me of how much he loved and cared for me,’ says Christine. ‘I’ll always think of him and he’ll always be a part of me.’