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The widow of television doctor Michael Mosley has said her husband is “ever-present through the lives he touched and the difference he made”.
Dr Clare Bailey Mosley revealed how her family is finding it hard to put their lives back together – but says they have found the messages of support and outpouring of grief very moving.
The broadcaster and columnist, famous for his Just One Thing podcast series, died of natural causes last month aged 67 after he went missing on the Greek island of Symi.
He had been walking in searing heat without a mobile phone. His body was discovered five days later in a rocky area near Agia Marina beach.
His wife, to whom he frequently referred in his broadcasts, has already vowed to continue the work they had started together.
In advance of a dedicated day on the BBC remembering him, Dr Bailey Mosley said: “We are trying to put our lives back together without Michael and it’s very hard.
“Not all the time. We can smile and laugh too. As well as comfort each other.”
Her statement went on: “Grief can feel overwhelming. Light and beautiful. Catch you by surprise. Feel like the weight of a stone or a sharp pain. It changes unexpectedly.
“As people often say, it’s a journey, not all sad and you take each day at a time.
“The extraordinary outpouring of grief and gratitude for Michael and how he has changed so many lives is very moving, including the heartfelt thoughts and kindness extended to us a family, for which we are incredibly grateful.
“We sincerely hope that we can continue to share his positive message going forward. Because while we are learning to live without Michael, he is ever present through the lives that he touched and the difference he made.”
The BBC’s Just One Thing Day on Friday, named after his BBC Radio 4 podcast in which he revealed health tips, will be based on Dr Mosley’s ethos of encouraging healthy habits by introducing “easy routines or simple swaps into daily life to improve health and wellbeing”.
His widow continued: “The BBC’s celebration of Michael’s life tomorrow with Just One Thing Day is wonderful.
“A day dedicated to the impact he had on people’s lives and to celebrate his legacy within broadcasting and beyond – it’s humbling and delightful all at once. We are so grateful.”
Dr Mosley is credited with popularising the 5:2 diet, a form of intermittent fasting, and he often pushed his body to extreme lengths during his research into health and wellbeing.
He first trained as a doctor in London before moving into the world of media.
He presented science programmes and films including the BBC series Trust Me, I’m A Doctor, which looked at healthcare in Britain.
