When I wrote this post in memory of Mark Reid, I thought it would be the only memorial to him.
He has continued to be in my mind ever since.
I never expected his story to continue.
At best, I though I might hear some clues about what had happened to him in his last few days and weeks.
The one thing I never anticipated was that I would hear from his family, who had done an internet search on his name in an attempt to fill in some of the missing details of Mark's life, and arrived at my post.
The story they tell about Mark's childhood is very different from the one he told me and it's not my place to decide whose version is accurate.
Either way, it's very sad ...
I'm really grateful to Mark's sisters for contacting me and giving their perspective, which I've reproduced here:
I am the sister of Mark. He was always. and is still loved, and is now deeply mourned. He will be given a decent burial once the Police can release the body and will be surrounded by his Mother and sisters.
I am Mark's other sister. Whilst we are very touched by everyone's kind words, please remember that Mark was a heroin user for most of his adult life. He did not leave home in his early teens. He had a very promising job for five years with British Telecom. He left home at 19 on his own accord, returning home several times. Mark had a very normal childhood and was loved dearly by his family and we all mourn him and miss him terribly. Mark severed ties with his family, despite our best efforts, we did not know of his whereabouts since 1998, until we were informed of his death in December. Please remember there are always two sides to a story.
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5 comments:
Gosh, the power of the Internet. It's so nice to read about this, to know that your words got out there. What a tragedy for all involved.
Whatever is the truth hiding in Mark's background, the one thing that is certain is that it was a hideous waste of a life.
And yes, I also thought about how the internet makes connections possible that in years gone by could not have happened.
Ironically, I realised it was about 1998 that I first met Mark - in other words at the same point that his family was last in contact with him.
It is nice to read the other side of the story, but it doesn't make it any less tragic for the waste. Thanks Debi for the update and I think it's one of those great internet moments that the family were able to contact you in this sorrowed time.
This is so terribly tragic - whatever the truth of the situation. It is a life wasted and lost and there is pain all around. Things, I've learned, are seldom what they seem and the truth generally lies in some place inbetween.
Whatever happened, this story is unbearably sad.
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