A GRIEVING widow whose husband tragically took his own life has donated £2,000 to the bereavement service which helped her get through the devastation.

One Sunday in November, 2015, Victoria’s husband, and father of their two children, Andrew, committed suicide.

Unprepared for the heartache that comes in thee aftermath of a loved one’s suicide, Victoria tried her best to put her own, and her children’s lives back together.

She said: “Andrew and I were together for 13 years and were blessed to have two beautiful children, Maddie, now aged 13, and Oliver, aged five. Andrew absolutely loved his kids.

“On Sunday 8th November 2015, our lives were turned upside down. Without any explanation Andrew took his own life – it was a complete shock.”

Victoria focused all her energy on her children and made an appointment at the Bereavement Counselling Service at Teesside Hospice for Maddie.

She said: “At first I wasn’t fully aware that the service was for anybody, no matter what kind of bereavement. The first counselling session was for my daughter Maddie, yet by the end of the appointment it was clear that I was the one who needed to talk – I just hadn’t realised it. After Andrew’s passing I was on autopilot. I just wanted to protect my kids and make sure they were ok, but it was me that wasn’t ok. In the initial sessions I felt relieved – I could just sit there, cry and tell my counsellor Sara every single thing. She encouraged me to talk even about the tiniest of things; they all mattered, every emotion I was feeling whether it was sad, angry, annoyed, guilt or blame.”

“It was a traumatic experience, but the world and life doesn’t stop after death. We have to keep going and we need to live the rest of our lives, whilst adapting to it never being the same again.”

She said she was overwhelmed by the generosity of people who had donated in memory of Andrew and was able to donate £2,000 to the service.

*For more information call 01642-811063.