Message from Nick, Jenny and Carys: to everyone

The last seven weeks or so have obviously brought some dark days – and there will be many difficult times for us to face in the future.  The loss of Huw is felt most acutely by the 3 of us, but we are aware that hundreds of others have shared this sense of loss and disbelief.

The grief has been shared with the people who have reached out to us and to eachother to bring some comfort.  During these difficult times we have experienced many touching moments of humanity and compassion – that we never thought we would (or wanted to) experience.  These compassionate and caring moments have helped us make the first tentative steps in starting to heal from this enormous loss.  Huw had a wide and varied life and the acts of support and compassion have been equally wide and varied.  This is fitting, as Huw would have wanted all the many droplets of goodness he touched people with, to continue and flourish.

Without our families and the community around us, the 3 of us wouldn’t have been able to start thinking about healing – setting up The Huw Thatcher Trust, and starting to get back to some of the things we were doing before 13th March.  We very much appreciate the comfort and help that has been brought to us in so many ways over the last 7 weeks – from our familes, old friends, new friends, work colleagues, Huw’s and Carys’ lovely teenage friends, sports clubs, the wider football community, the school, and the professional and support services around us.  There are too many moments and too many people to mention individually – but every single moment of support and compassion has been very much appreciated – whether it is a message, text, or phone call.  Whether it is a deed, practical support or a donation to The Trust.  Whether it is a hug, a look, a visit, a chat or  a show of empathy and understanding.  Whether it is help with fund raising or something kind and compassionate that someone has done that we don’t even know about – and may never know.

As a family, we are aware that there are people facing difficulties around the world, and we are aware that there are other people face greater challenges than ourselves.  And we have said (like many others do) that we shouldn’t worry too much about what tomorrow brings, but try and enjoy today.  Since 13th March, these thoughts have taken added significance and we want to try and get pleasure from what we do have in life.  We will try to avoid being robbed of today, by regret of the past or worries about the future. 

The scale of the support and grief that we have all experienced since 13th March, is a testament to the way Huw led his life, and the legacy that remains.  The Huw Thatcher Trust is a positive way of ensuring that the  legacy is an enduring and productive one – preserving Huw’s identity and helping brain injured people.