He’s Scott, after his grandad. He would have been so proud of him
Widow remembers lost love as grandson is named after him
Dora Forbes cradles her baby grandson beside the Christmas tree.
His laughing eyes are fixed on a singing Santa toy, while all other eyes in the room are lovingly set on him. It should be a scene of festive family bliss. But it is bitter-sweet.
Baby Scott, 20 months, carries the name of the grandfather he will never know, the grandfather who will never share a Christmas or birthday with him.
Aberdonian Scott Forbes was 41 when he was knifed to death by his brother Jeffrey in 2009 during a row at Jeffrey’s flat in the city. Today, as she approaches the 10th anniversary of the loss of the love of her life, widow Dora – who with Scott shares four children Jamie, 27, Callum, 25, Rhiannon, 12, and Alex, 11 – revealed: “Scott has six grandchildren – all born after he was killed.
“The oldest is eight and the youngest is one.
“It breaks my heart he is not here to see and play with them. He would have been so proud that little Scott was named after him.
“Scott loved Christmas. He was like a big kid himself. He would always be the first one to open the presents and wind-up the kids. He would have loved to be here, to have his grandchildren around him.”
After Scott’s death, Dora discovered he had been planning to propose to her on Valentine’s Day and had bought a ring.
She said:“Police found a receipt for an engagement ring in Scott’s pocket. I had no idea he was planning to buy me one.
“He had booked the registry office at the Town House for the wedding on July 17 that year. It was going to be a surprise.” She admitted the discovery had almost driven her to suicide. But the brave mum faced up to life without Scott for the sake of their children.
And now she also has her grandchildren who gives her reason to go on.
She said: “Jamie and his partner Kirsty agreed their baby should be named after Scott when the 20 week scans confirmed she was carrying a boy. I was there for the birth at Aberdeen Maternity Hospital and was the first person to hold him.
Dora said: “To see your grandchild arriving is amazing. If he’d been alive Scott would have been right at my side the minute his grandson was born.”