10 Year Anniversary
Our 10th Anniversary
It is that time of year again – the anniversary of the murders of David and his fellow hostages by ISIS. We have already had Jim Foley’s (19/08/14) and Steven Sotloff’s (02/09/14), the 13th of September is my brother’s and then Alan Henning’s. This year is even more poignant as it is the ten-year anniversary.
It is a time of quiet reflection for both my own family and the GAU family; to revisit the past year and to touch base with our determination and commitment. The 13th will be spent at home with my family with a tear or two and no doubt a dram or two.
At GAU we had some big plans for this anniversary however they have had to be postponed for a wee bit due to a wee problem I have had.
At the end of July, I had a stroke during the night. Next morning I went to the hospital, and it was confirmed. Basically, the stroke took place in the brain stem (I forget the medical terminology). I have been incredibly lucky, although I have speech problems, coordination issues, as well as balance problems and brain fog, the outlook is good. I am receiving lots of therapy and doing whatever the nurses tell me to. The physiotherapist is confident of my returning to my normal walk. At present I use a walker to help me with my balance problems.
What has happened is that my own mortality has hit me. I now have to be more understanding of my body’s needs and recovery. I have had to massively reduce my working day during this recovery. My friends, the Board members of GAU, have had to take up the slack from me for which I am eternally grateful for. The Board and Lucy, our intern, have been wonderful and I thank them from the bottom of my heart.
This downtime has led me to think about David and his colleagues in their last moments and the thoughts they had as they awaited their deaths. Family and friends, I am sure, would have been front and foremost. However, I am also sure an element of life evaluation would have crossed their minds. I look at all the hostages and can see how they made the world a better place for their being in it. Not only as they lived but also afterwards. The good works that have been done in their name.
I think it is important that we celebrate their lives and not live in sorrow. We should be glad for what they gave us and their actions.
The 13th I will spend with my family, and I will try not to thinker my ‘Bruv’s’ death, I will think of his irascible smile, his laugh, his bounciness.
Mike Haines – Founder, Global Acts of Unity
David on the left dancing and Mike on the right smiling at him
