David Myler

Monday 25th January 1999, I am sitting on the couch watching television. Kathryn is in bed. Linda is at work and Louise is out.

Bump, bump, bump, bump, bump, bump. William is coming down the stairs, the door to the living room opens and he pops his head in: “I'm off now Dad, see you next weekend.”

I barely move and say: “OK. See you.” William left the house to go to Kelly's flat and from there to travel 220 miles to Kent in the early hours of the morning, where he was working.

William would leave very early on a Monday morning and return the following Friday evening. Nothing unusual. This had been going on for about six or seven months. Nothing unusual but for one thing, I would never speak to William again.

William was three months away from his 21st birthday.

We were lost and in despair. We turned to RoadPeace for help, and they, particularly Pauline Fielding, coordinator for the North West local group, helped us tremendously. I cannot thank them enough for the practical and emotional help that we received.

I was a teacher at the time and decided to do a series of RoadPeace assemblies for Years 7 to 13, during which I told them the true cost and suffering that the families and friends of the bereaved really endured.

I did this for a decade until I retired. I hope that it made a difference to all of those individuals who attended the events.