Sophie

13 years on, and it gets no easier - here are Lyn’s words on this anniversary. ❤️ ——— Becoming a Mum for the first time, I cried when I held you in my arms, and promised I would always look after you and protect you, not knowing 25 years on you would be cruelly murdered, and taken away from us. Not being able to be by your side or say goodbye is the most heartbreaking journey that I have had to live with every single day. Time doesn’t make it any easier. It just makes it different. I look at the world differently and I’ve learned different ways to cope with the bereavement of my first-born child my only 1 son. I never believed I would make it this far but I’m still standing and that’s nothing short of a miracle. For me, I stay connected to Lee by talking to him every day, making sure he is still at the heart of our everyday family life. It’s not the big stuff, necessarily. Just chit chat really, telling Lee what’s been happening throughout my day. It makes me feel connected to him, so that he’s still a part of our lives. It took me a long time to realise that the love we shared never went away. Not even for a second. It was just buried underneath an avalanche of pain and grief. Lee’s physical self may have been stolen from us, but the essence of his love and spirit is still with us just as it was since the day he was born. I had to fight to find a path back to Lee and in those early devastating days, I didn’t think I would make it. Now I have to share my life with grief, but I try not to let it take over me. It sits alongside the happy things in my life. I have so much to live for still and Lee would want me to cherish every day. I have my amazing husband and four daughters and my growing brood of grandchildren. It is down to them that I got through this and so on the 13th anniversary of Lee’s murder, I want to not only celebrate and remember Lee, but give thanks to my wonderful family for pulling me through the worst days of my life. I’m also so grateful for all the love and support from strangers around the world we still get even after more than a decade. It helps me believe there are more good people in the world than evil. He was always the first to step up and put others before himself. Till we meet again Lee. Love and miss you always, Mum and all your loving family. xxx ——— #LeeRigby © Copyright Lyn Rigby and Family. All photographs, images, and related content contained within this video are the exclusive property of Lyn Rigby and Family and are protected under applicable copyright laws. No media outlet, publication, organisation, or third party may copy, reproduce, download, edit, publish, distribute, broadcast, or otherwise use any images or content from this video without prior express written permission from Lyn Rigby and Family. Sharing or reposting this video through the original social media platform’s built-in sharing functions is permitted. Any other unauthorised use may result in legal action.