Our Corrie lived each day like it would be his last
Lost airman’s mum says she’s at peace
The mum of tragic airman Corrie McKeague says his death taught her to enjoy every day as if it’s her last.
Nicola Urquhart was speaking hours before yesterday’s RAF-backed church memorial to her son.
His 2016 disappearance sparked a huge manhunt.
But an inquest in March finally ruled he was crushed to death after climbing into a bin on a night out.
Nicola, who for years had urged more police searches, said: “I have to accept it and be able to live my life.
“I have learned that life is way too short.
“Corrie lived his every day like it was his last. He always had.
“And I think that is the only way that all of us should do it – live it like it’s your last, love your family, love your friends and enjoy your life, otherwise what are we here for?”
Nicola, 52, admits she might never have closure but had found “a peace” that there is nothing more she can do.
She added that she’s grateful to have been given the chance to ask questions at his inquest.
Nicola said: “My closure is being able to say, ‘There is nothing else that I feel I could ask of anyone or I could do myself ’.
“I am at peace. I don’t need to be asking for anywhere else to be searched now.”
Corrie, 23, vanished on September 24, 2016, while on a night- out in Bur y St
Edmunds, Suffolk.
Yesterday’s service was held at St Edmund’s Church in nearby Honington, close to his base, and led by an
RAF padre. Nicola thanked his former bosses for organising it and told how she and other relatives had picked readings and hymns, as well as music by the City of Norwich Pipe Band.
She told how the memorial, which was also attended by Corrie’s young daughter Ellie, who was born after he disappeared, was “a celebration of Corrie’s life, and emotional, but not a sad day”.
She said: “It’s a day to celebrate Corrie, for us to be able to officially publicly say goodbye to him and just be able to, not close that chapter in our lives, but say we are on to the next stage. It feels like the right thing to do.”
The grieving mum, from Dunfermline, added: “This memorial is really important to us as a family as the RAF was Corrie’s life and was also his family.
“It real ly meant a lot to him and now it’s nice we get to attend and see that Corrie was important to them as well.
“They have supported me, they have supported Ellie and her mum and I don’t know how we would have got through this without the RAF.
“It makes me feel proud that Corrie had the support constantly from the RAF in every way, while he was there, while he was serving and now in a memorial for him. They were and are his family.”
RAF Honington chief Piers “Dutch” Holland said: “Our thoughts continue to be with SAC McKeague’s family, friends and colleagues and all those whose lives he touched.”
RESPECTS Memorial
was held by RAF in memory of tragic Corrie