REDDITCH’S Rob and Maggie Underwood experienced an unexpected and emotional meeting at their latest fund-raising event when the woman who was with their son as he passed away four years ago made contact.
The pair, who tirelessly fund-raise and educate communities throughout the county as well as campaign to install community access defibrillators, hosted a family fun day at Arrow Valley Lake last Saturday.
But at this particular event, Maggie and Rob got something they didn’t expect – a meeting with Gemma Bosco-Woods, one of the police officers on duty on the night Craig died of a rare heart condition.
“Gemma introduced herself to us and explained she had been there on the night we lost Craig,” said Maggie.
“Originally we had thought Craig was on his own apart from his friend Harry.
“But on Saturday she told us how she had known exactly where to find him.
“When she got there with a couple of colleagues she could tell he was leaving us, so she sat with him, spoke to him and held his hand while he took his final breaths. She told us how she kept telling him not to leave but as we now know with his condition, it was not to be.”
The day after their meeting, the Underwoods then got another surprise, when an email from Gemma popped into their inbox, with a poem she had written on the night Craig died.
“She told us the experience had affected her so greatly she thinks of Craig every day,” said Maggie.
“Talking to Gemma really made my heart feel relief. The pain didn’t leave – nothing will do that – but we now know our boy was not alone.
“As the woman who brought Craig into this world, I feel very honoured to have met the woman who was with him as he left.”
Gemma, who has worked for West Mercia Police as a PCSO for 10 years, said: “That night was the worst of my life.
“That shift was on normal foot patrol when that dreadful call came in. I knew the location that his friend Harry had described so I jumped in the car with a response officer. I was not supposed to be there, in that area, but something told me I had to go.
“We found Craig and Harry and my colleague started CPR, I briefly comforted Harry then realised by looking into Craigs eyes that he was leaving us. I knelt down by his side, held his hand and spoke to him. “I didn’t stop talking, asking him to stay. I knew he wasn’t going to but I talked and held his hand until the paramedics arrived.”
She added: “I never felt I could impose on their lives. But at the event on Saturday, it was time to meet them. They are beautiful, strong people and amazingly still raising money and awareness.”
The Underwoods set up the Charlotte and Craig Saving Hearts Foundation (CCSHF) after losing two of their children to rare heart conditions – Charlotte Marie in December 2010 and Craig in December 2013.
The family fun day was hailed a success and more than £1,000 was raised to be spent directly on a life saving defibrillator.
Visit http://www.ccshf.org.uk/ to find out more.
