On the 31st August, 2021, my darling fiancé Tom suddenly and unexpectedly passed away, just a couple of weeks after his 28th birthday. Tom was diagnosed with Ebstein's Anomaly in 2017. Ebstein's Anomaly, is a rare congenital heart defect that affects just 0.5% of people born with congenital heart problems. 

He lived with this knowledge, and the various symptoms of this defect every day, but still lived his life to full. It would have been very easy for him, after his diagnosis, to have shut off from the world and withdraw from life. Instead, he did the opposite - he lived his life, always careful of his condition, but never letting it define him, or the way he lived. 

He filled every room with his booming voice, and infectious laughter. He never let his condition get in the way of a good time and was always the life of the party. Tom was an amazing partner - patient, unwaveringly kind, thoughtful, bringing love and so much laughter to my life. I could not wait to spend the rest of my life with him. He was also a loyal and supportive friend and family member, having time for everyone and always there in a time of need. Tom was also fiercely independent and driven, leading him to develop an exciting and varied career within the IT industry where he was well thought of as a caring, hardworking and good-humoured colleague and friend by many. 

Tom was a lover of all things tech - PC's, gadgets - he had them all. He also loved gaming - with many an evening spent playing online with friends, or across the table playing board games with me. He was also an avid historian, studying military history at university - a topic that ended up being a life-long passion and interest. As well as this, Tom was hugely into drama and film, having been apart of many productions during his university years and afterwards, a huge film buff. Tom also was a great outdoorsman, with a love of walking and camping, a passion he picked up from an early age, after joining the Scouts. Many of my favourite memories are exploring and walking with him, which is a large reason to why we decided to have Tom's service at his childhood Scout Camp. 

Tom's loss has left such a hole in all of our lives, but he will never be forgotten. There is still so much to learn about Ebsiten's Anomaly and congenital heart defects. We are hoping that Tom can help shine a light on this and help create change, and a better future for others with this condition and the hundreds of children born each year with congenital heart defects. 

This is why we have selected to direct any donations in memory of Tom, to The Somerville Foundation, which supports young adults and adults with congenital heart conditions and their families, and works to create a world where they receive excellent medical care and lead, happy, healthy lives. They do this through providing timely information and advice, campaigning for better education around CHD, enabling patients to connect with, and share from each-other's experiences, as well as life-saving research into congenital heart defects. You can learn more about this amazing charity on their website - https://thesf.org.uk/ 

Thank you again for your support.