Christine from Kelvindale in Glasgow, Lanarkshire, shares Barry’s story in the lead up to the ten year anniversary of his death.
"My son, Barry, was at hospital with a sore throat but was dismissed. I took him to the doctor who gave him antibiotics and signed him off work for two weeks, which was his first ever sick note. During the second week I took him back to the doctor as he had a very sore ear. The doctor said it was swollen inside, and advised him to take paracetamol and it would clear up. My son and Amanda, his fiancée, had recently moved into their own house, so the doctor he saw was new and didn’t know him.
"Over the next few days Barry wasn't eating much and was just drinking fluids. He had a headache, but he did not have other symptoms associated with meningitis - he had no temperature and no rash. Barry and Amanda travelled all over the UK and abroad. They had their wedding booked for July at Disneyland, Florida. Tragically he passed away ten weeks before their wedding on 24 April 2008. He was only 27 and had a wonderful future ahead of him.
"Barry was an engineer during the day, but at the weekends he was a very successful DJ. His pals and fellow DJs have done a lot of fundraising in his memory, including a Santa fun run, a five a side football match and a disco.
"Amanda's sister Kelli does lots of baking, which Amanda sells in their family delicatessen to raise money, and I donate what I can, so it mounts up. Barry’s good friends, Mark Willis and Bryan Kearney, are arranging a tribute night to Barry, to mark the ten-year anniversary of his death. It was heart-breaking for my husband and I when we lost Barry - he was our only child. Amanda's family are part of our lives now - they are a great support and help to keep Barry’s memory alive.
Sadly, Christine passed away a few weeks after sharing Barry’s story with us. Family friend Mark Willis said: “We are absolutely gutted. Our only comfort is that she is now with Barry and her husband Joe, and that she passed knowing we were organising a tribute night for her son.”
