A heartbroken mum-of-two who lost one of her sons in a tragic incident ten years ago has said that she will "never get over" losing her child.
Leah Hunt lost her teenage son Sam when he fell into the sea after being hit by a large wave on a family holiday.
Sadly Sam, aged 15, was pronounced dead at the hospital after the brothers were pulled out of the water by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) in Swansea.
Leah, who works for the British Transport Police, said that she is forever grateful for the RNLI for saving her son Lewis, and to Lewis for being there so that "Sam wasn't alone" in his final moments, Liverpool Echo reports.
She said: "It was three minutes past midnight when the police knocked at my door, so being told that we'd lost Sam, I was just numb. Going through what we went through, losing Sam, I'll never get over it. You'll never get over losing a child.
"I've spoken to a couple of crew members over the years and I know the guys who were on the boat that night who saved Lewis.
"They actually said to me 'we're really sorry we couldn't save Sam', but I just hugged them and said 'yes but you saved me', and that's what they need to realise.
"They saved Lewis and they couldn't save Sam, he was tiny, he was five foot and five stone soaking wet. And I think Lewis, being in the navy at the time, his strength kept him going, and he keeps me going now.
"He suffers from PTSD now, but he keeps himself busy with his three kids. I don't think you can get much busier than that.
"People say to me how terrible it is what I've gone through, but I know Lewis went through worse than me.
"I'm only grateful that both my boys were together, that Sam wasn't alone, and that's what I keep saying to Lewis- that if he wasn't there I can't even imagine what it would've been like."
Leah is now grandmother to Lewis' three children, and still working. But, alongside her job with the police she also raises money and awareness for the charity who saved her boy and did the best they could to save his brother.
Next month, on May 1, she is organising a memorial day in Rock Ferry, Wirral, for Sam to both keep his memory alive and to raise money that may help save the children of others in the future.
She will also be taking part in a coastal walk on 22 May that is open to the public who wish to help raise money for the RNLI.
She said "On the 10th anniversary of his passing - it’s more important to me than ever to see his legacy live on in such a positive way. I would do anything for the RNLI and the walk is just one of the ways I want to say thank you."
Andy Brown, who has volunteered for the RNLI in West Kirby for 20 years, holding almost every position available in the charity, spoke about his job and what fundraising means for their ability to save lives.
He said: "It's an unusual feeling, you can be in work in a Teams meeting as I often am, and suddenly you're out of the door playing a part in pulling someone out of the water, seeing the look in their eye and passing them to the ambulance crews and in the blink of an eye you're back in the meeting, trying to get on with your day job.
"The fundraising couldn't be more important, if you look at where we've come as a lifeboat from cork lifejackets and rowing boats to all weather lifeboats that self-ride, to hover crafts, to jet skis- the equipment we have is second to none. The training we get from the RNLI is fantastic."
If you wish to donate or simply find out more about Leah's money raising efforts to help the RNLI save lives, you can find out more at RNLI.org/SupportMayday.
Or if you would like to support Leah at the the memorial day for Sam, you can find more information at rnli.enthuse.com/pf/wirral-coastal-walk.
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