I FEEL LIKE MY JOURNEY IS OVER NOW, MY LIFE IS COMPLETE
FRIENDS OF DYING MAN HELP HIM FULFIL BUCKET LIST WISHES
THE bucket list wishes of a terminallyill man have been fulfilled with the help of family, friends and hospice staff, writes Adrian Troughton.
Pete Huckle, 32, pictured, of Church Langton, who was diagnosed with leukaemia in 2014 got to enjoy a sevencourse meal with family and friends and a trip to the Lion King in London.
FAMILY and friends helped organise a seven-course meal as part of a terminally-ill man’s bucket list.
Former colleagues, friends and staff at Loros hospice also organised a trip to see the Lion King in London’s West End for leukaemia sufferer Pete Huckle.
Pete, 32, of Church Langton, was diagnosed with leukaemia in 2014.
He had a bone marrow transplant but suffered from graft-versus-host disease, which meant the donor cells were attacking his body tissue rather than making him well.
Since then, his lungs have started to fail and now he has about 20 per capacity left, leaving him needing oxygen support.
Pete wanted to go for a meal at a Michelin-starred restaurant but was too unwell to make a trip.
Instead Pete, a professional chef, helped plan a meal with his old boss, James Bambury, who owns The Bull in Broughton Astley.
Pete and 15 family and friends enjoyed the meal on Tuesday night.
They were all dressed in onesies – another of his bucket list requests.
Pete said: “Without putting a title on it, this was most likely my last supper.
“I have to admit, there were times that I got a bit teary-eyed. It was a genuinely beautiful evening, it was perfect.
“I feel like life’s complete now. My journey is complete.”
The meal on Tuesday started with a selection of canapés, followed by a duck liver starter, lemon sorbet, fish and meat courses, before ending with Eton mess and a cheeseboard.
“It was great fun creating the menu and nice to dip my toe back into my career, “said Pete.
“We came across some hurdles but in the end, everything was perfect.”
James, who said Pete has become part of his family over the years, organised the evening after asking him what was left on his bucket list.
“I’m not just Pete’s boss, he’s one of my best friends,” said James.
“When I found out he wanted to eat at a Michelin-starred restaurant, I wanted to make it possible.”
With Pete’s health deteriorating, James worked quickly and within a few days, organised a chef to cook, waiters to serve and a whole table dressing to replicate a fine-dining restaurant.
“Even though it was an emotional evening, it was all about making memories for Pete,” said James. “It was absolutely incredible.”
Another item on Pete’s bucket list was trip to see the Lion King stage show in London.
Pete went to see the show shortly before his diagnosis in 2014 with his friend Vikki but felt too ill to enjoy the spectacle and the experience was ruined.
Last month, staff at Loros organised it so Pete and Vikki could relive the trip.
Pete said: “Vikki came up from Portsmouth to meet us and relive that day from four-and-a-half years ago. It was every bit as magical as I had dreamed it would be, even though I am in a worse physical state than I was back then.
“The seats were the best in the house, the show was fantastic. Every bit about my special day was perfect.
“Loros did something for me that day that I will be forever grateful for.
“I would really like to mention the extra efforts of the doctors, nurses and, in particular, my physiotherapist and the volunteer driver for making all of this happen.”