The mother of a transgender teenager who was stabbed to death in a park has issued a touching message for what would have been her daughter’s 17th birthday birthday.
Having already raised thousands of pounds in memory of her daughter, Esther Ghey, 36, told of how “it is helping me massively to see how good people can be” as she launched a fundraising push.
People have also been encouraged to wear pink, Brianna’s favourite colour, to celebrate her birthday on Tuesday, as mourners did at her pink-themed funeral earlier this year.
Brianna Ghey, 16, from Birchwood, Warrington in Cheshire, who was found dead in Culcheth Linear Park in Warrington, Cheshire— (PA Media)
The teenager was found with fatal stab wounds on a path in a Cheshire park shortly after 3pm on Saturday 11 February this year. Her killing led to an outpouring of grief across the country, especially from the LGBTQ+ community.
In memory of Brianna, who suffered from anxiety, her mother launched a campaign that pledges to help young people with their mental health.
The Brianna Ghey: Peace in Mind appeal aims to raise money, partly via a GoFundMe fundraiser, for the Mindfulness in Schools Project (MiSP), with the mission of bringing mindfulness training into all UK schools.
Esther Ghey (right) launched a campaign that pledges to help young people with their mental health in memory of her daughter Brianna (left)— (Esther Ghey)
In a social media post on Friday, Ms Ghey said: “I'm extremely grateful for all of the support that our campaign has received.
"I've met so many really lovely people who want to help to improve the mental health of our young people and make the world a better place.
"Everything that we have done so far has been welcomed with positivity.
"After what has happened to our family, it is helping me massively to see how good people can be.”
She added that 21 schools across the family’s hometown of Warrington have already begun the first round of MiSP training, while “many more” are signed up for the next intake.
Two 16-year-olds, a boy from Leigh and a girl from Warrington, have pleaded not guilty to Brianna’s murder and are due to stand trial later this month.
