Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Family fund
Emotional messages and floral tributes to tragic mum Kirsty after body recovered
An online fund set up to collect money for the family of Airdrie mum Kirsty Aitchison has raised more than £12,000 and counting from in excess of 700 donors.
The body of the missing 30-year-old was recovered from the River Clyde last Saturday in a tragic end to a week-long, wide-scale search.
Heartfelt tributes have been made to Kirsty Aitchison after the Airdrie mum’s body was recovered from the River Clyde last Saturday in a tragic end to a week-long, wide-scale search.
Among the emotional messages honouring the 30-yearold’s memory were a moving Facebook post from her expartner – and dad to her four kids – Stuart Allison, plus a poignant tweet from First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, and kind words from Advertiser readers.
Scores of floral tributes were also left at the Clydeside and a JustGiving page set up to collect £2000 for Kirsty’s family smashed through that barrier within days, with more than £ 12,000 and counting raised so far from in excess of 700 donors.
Friends and family of Kirsty, who was deaf and a British Sign Language (BSL) user, have been in mourning since her body was discovered near the Kingston Bridge in Glasgow on Saturday night. Police are not treating her death as suspicious.
Kirsty, who lived in Robroyston and was originally from Airdrie, vanished after leaving Campus nightclub on Sauchiehall Street six days earlier and was caught on CCTV walking through the city centre carrying her shoes.
She left the venue at around 3am after she had spent the evening with friends. It was understood she was making her way to a nearby casino.
Kirsty’s disappearance sparked a campaign throughout the deaf community and beyond, with dedicated accounts being set up via social media and searches throughout Glasgow.
Following the heartbreaking discovery of Kirsty’s body, her ex-partner Stuart Allison, father of her four kids, Stuart, Ava, Mia and Lauren, took to Facebook to say: “RIP Kirsty Aitchison. I still can’t believe that you’re gone., You will be always be on my mind and heart forever, and the kids too, and I will make sure your four children remember their mum.
“Rest in peace till I see you again my love.”
Kirsty’s cousin, Garry Wilson, told our sister paper the Daily Record: “As you will know, we have found Kirsty and while this is far removed from the resolution any of us would have hoped for, our little cousin is at peace. For that, at the very least, I am thankful. We will miss her greatly and she has been taken from us all far, far too early.
“I want to thank you all for the masses of support both myself and the rest of the family have received from everyone worldwide.
“This is humbling and restores a bit of faith in humanity.”
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon tweeted her response to the harrowing news: “A sad end to a very sad week. My deepest condolences to Kirsty Aitchison’s family and friends.”
The Advertiser’s Facebook readers got in touch with us to leave their tributes to Kirsty, with Linda Murray commenting: “Thoughts and prayers go to her children and her family.”
Elaine McMath Patrick added: “Such a beautiful girl. Prayers and thoughts with family and friends.”
Julia William McGovern posted: “Our thoughts are with her family and friends.”
Police have expressed their thanks to everyone who helped with their search. Chief Inspector John McBride said: “We would like to thank members of the public and the deaf/ BSL community for their support and assistance throughout this investigation. Our thoughts and condolences are with Kirsty’s family and friends during this difficult time.”
To donate to the JustGiving funding campaign in aid of Kirsty’s family, visit https:// crowdfunding.justgiving.com/ kirs ty aitch is on family fund
I will make sure your four children remember their mum . . . Stuart Allison