Hi Everyone
Since our last emails Brian deteriorated quickly. With the various ailments
that we told you about previously (pneumonia, VRE and Covid) his lungs really
struggled.
Thank you so much for all your prayers – the oxygen therapy, although it worked
for a time (which as we said was truly amazing), it didn’t then have the
long-lasting effect that the doctors were looking for.
We were just preparing to email and tell you this when we heard from Gilly this
morning that Brian slipped away very, very peacefully late last (Monday) night.
She was with Brian for a long time yesterday. He’d had a comfortable day; his
breathing was pretty bad and a bit rattly, but he was very comfortable. He then
got a little restless and his breathing got a little bit worse.
He then slept for a while and Gilly was talking to him a lot, stroking his
hair, but he was more or less asleep, although she was aware he could hear her
at times.
Then it got to 10 o’clock and she thought “I think he’s just missed a breath.”His eyes, having been closed, were now half-open and she stood over him and looked into his eyes. And, it sounds weird, she felt that it was like he was looking into her soul.Then she said, “Brian, if you want to go to be with Jesus, you go. Don’t wait for the girls [their daughters] to get here [from America]; don’t worry about me, you go. You go to your great reward right now. I want you to be out of pain and comfortable.”And it was just, somehow, like an anointing fell, and she sang a couple of hymns and lifted her hands and praised God and asked Jesus to come and take him. Then there was a real anointing in the room – it was almost like a triumphal entry to heaven, with him being sent off.
He just went. He took two or three more
little breaths and it was obvious – he’d gone to be with the Lord.He was gone in moments! It
was just so comforting for her to be there, and to see him just go so gently.So he died very, very peacefully.At the moment there is no news on any future funeral or thanksgiving service(s).Let us know if you would like details as they become available.With lots of love and thanks for all your prayers and support for Brian and Gilly and their family over the years and specifically very recently.Please continue to uphold Gilly and Tim and the rest of family at this very busy time.
Thanks and Blessings,
Keith and Pat.