Sue's brother Jimmy
I remember Jimmy as a small child, being a very polite and well-behaved little boy, despite his health and learning difficulties. Because our mum and dad were also having to cope at the time with our brother John's (and my own) disabilities, Jimmy was admitted, aged five, to St Elizabeth's boarding school in Much Hadham, Hertfordshire, a school run by an order of Nuns.
Under the school's Christian teaching, it was not long before Jimmy learned who Jesus is, and Jimmy gave his heart to Jesus when he was six years old.
Jimmy's years at St Elizabeth's were very happy years, but as often happens with boys as they hit their pre-teen years, and following his return to the family home in Harold Hill, aged eleven, Jimmy developed a more independent and self-willed attitude.
As we grew up together Jimmy and I had no small number of brother-sister quarrels but we always stayed close as a family.
Jimmy lived independently at our mum's house in Romford but in 2018 because he had gained a lot of weight he became less mobile and eventually lost the use of his legs. This resulted in him having to move from the house to a Care Home where he spent the next two years bed-ridden. That is never a good situation and eventually, he became ill and in April 2020 he passed away as a result of pneumonia and sepsis.
This parting was sooner than we had hoped or expected as Jimmy was only aged 60, but I rest in the total assurance that I will see him again one day, in heaven.
Do you have that assurance for when your time comes to face death? You can have!