Uncle Reg and Aunty Gladys were two of the first people, along with my mother and Aunty Audrey, that I remember seeing when I regained consciousness. Gladys was one of my father’s three older sisters.
It is hard to put into words what I feel about Reg and Gladys. They were always there when we needed them most. Reg organised everything for us while my mother and I were in Ljubljana, including:
- Organising the funeral of my father and sisters which took place while we were still in Ljubljana. This involved contacting a large number of people: relatives, family friends, my sisters’ work colleagues, my school and friends and my cricket club.
- Arranging for our move to another council house in Welwyn Garden City.
- Helping coordinate the house move with some of my father’s work colleagues. My Aunty Doris (another of my father’s three older sisters) and her daughter, my cousin Teri, had already carried out, at my mother’s request, the unenviable task of clearing out my father’s and sisters’ possession before we returned to the house for the last time.
After the move they were constant visitors even though they lived around 70 to 80 miles away and Reg was in full time employment. We spent our first two Christmases and New Years with them after the accident (I haven’t forgotten the champagne cocktails Reg used to mix for breakfast!).
They were always so cheerful when they visited me in hospital and Gladys, like Audrey, used to make me laugh, which was a mixed blessing as I had a couple of broken ribs at the time!
Aunty Audrey and Uncle Peter. I remember Audrey standing by my hospital bed, with my mother, my Uncle Reg and my Aunty Gladys, as I regained consciousness. Audrey had flown to Ljubljana as soon as possible after she had heard about the accident. She, with my mother and my uncle, visited me every day. She made me laugh which was a mixed blessing as I had a couple of broken ribs at the time!
I will never forget what Audrey, and Peter, did for my mother and I. Lots of people rallied round when we returned to England, but very few could always be there when we needed them most. Audrey, and Peter were. Neither my mother nor I would have been able to survive as we did without their never ending support.
I cannot thank them enough for what they did for us. Peter died in August 2016 and Audrey in October 2017. I miss them both. I loved my little chats with Audrey in the care home where she spent her final couple of years. We talked about my family and my visit to Ljubljana in June 2017. She was so clear, coherent and animated.
My cousins Teri Aldous and Will Wiskin: For being so supportive over the years and during the events that occurred during 2017. We were all close, my sisters, Teri, Bill and I, when we were children and they too were greatly affected by the accident. It was not easy for them, and their spouses, to visit Ljubljana in September 2017.
The 1966 Ljubljana Air Crash. 