Benjamin Michael Smith

One year ago today (15th May 2017), our beautiful 16 year-old son, Ben, was taken from us. Not a victim of violence, or an accident, or an illness. He simply died.

I desperately want to believe in God & heaven…to take some comfort from that but if there is a God, a loving God as we’re brought up on, why would he reach down and stop that kind and gentle boy’s heart? Why would he end Ben’s life…a life of such rich promise, so prematurely?

Here on Earth, I remain unable to comprehend how such a terrible thing could happen to a fit, happy and healthy teenage boy. What I DO know is that the pain, the grief, the sense of loss, for myself and for what was stolen from Ben has not even begun to recede; the sights and sounds of that terrible evening replay in my mind on a never-ending loop.

Michael Smith