Why does everyone I love have to die?
Fears for teenage brothers after mum dies just three years after their dad passed away
TWO devastated teenagers have been left orphaned following the tragic death of their mother.
Carol Oliver, 47, died on Good Friday after a five-month battle with pneumonia.
Her death comes just three years after her partner Steve Loughrey died from septicaemia.
They leave behind sons Ethan, 18, and Bailey, 14, who has severe autism.
The brothers, from Eccles, now have no source of income.
Ethan has since quit college to care for Bailey full time. The pair only have two family members remaining, their auntie and cousin Genna.
Genna, 32, has set up a fundraising appeal in a desperate bid to help the boys with their living costs.
Speaking to the Manchester Evening News, she said: “When I told Bailey, he was screaming. It was the worst thing I’ve ever had to do in my life.
“He said, ‘Why does everyone I love have to die? She was so young, who’s going to care for me now? Who’s going to pay for the house?’ Ethan was lost for words. He’s traumatised.”
Carol first fell ill in November 2021. She was taken to hospital by ambulance on Ethan’s 18th birthday and treated for pneumonia with antibiotics.
But just days later her health took a turn for the worse and she was rushed back to hospital. She never returned home.
“She had been in ICU but as far as we knew, she couldn’t have any visitors,” Genna continued.
“As soon as we found out she could we went to see her on the Friday
before Good Friday. When we were talking to her, we couldn’t get any sense out of her.
“The week before, they stopped treating her and said there was nothing more they could do.
“She was put on end-of-life support. She was Facetiming Ethan and then for the last four days she stopped eating and drinking
“We took Ethan to hospital for them to tell him she wasn’t coming home. “With Bailey’s condition, we didn’t think he would want to go in. “Then one day when we came out the family room Ethan and Bailey came in on their own on the bus. They only got to see her once before she passed away.”
Genna is now fighting to keep Ethan and Bailey in their councilowned property, which is the only home they’ve ever known.
She fears they may be moved into a two-bedroom home – disturbing Bailey’s vital routine.
“Bailey is severely autistic and doesn’t want to socialise,” she continued. “His routine is exactly the same all day.
“He’s scared of flies, bees and dogs. There are so many different things – he’s terrified of babies.
“He doesn’t eat a lot of food. Ethan knows him inside out.
“If he was taken into care, they wouldn’t know how to care for him.
“We’re currently trying to get some kind of benefit for Ethan; I don’t know if they can do rent at a reduced rate.
“He’s got no money. We’re just trying to give him bits and bobs but we have no money either.
“He’s got to find £1,400 for the funeral so we’ve got to try and raise that.”
For more information on the Gofundme appeal, or to donate, visit the Gofundme website.