David's legacy of love (From Leigh Journal)

David's legacy of love

11:26am Wednesday 16th December 2009

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WHEN he died in September David Thomas left a special legacy - an unborn baby daughter he named Bailey.

His wife of eight weeks, Cheryl, is due to bring her special Christmas bundle into the world on Friday.

And his parents and family have paid special tribute to the 29-years-old, who died in September from bowel cancer, by raising over £5,000 in his memory for St Ann’s Hospice, Little Hulton.

Mum Anita, of Squires Lane, Tyldesley, said: “David was not a flower person so we decided to raise money for the hospice for being so good with him in his last two weeks of life.”

David, who worked in IT, was diagnosed with cancer four years ago but continued to live life to the full.He was a keen quad biker and was well know for karaoke.

Before he died he made a CD of songs he loved and these went on sale to boost the fund raising total.

During treatment David, of Alma Street, Tyldesley, was told he would never become a father and he and Cheryl decided to follow the IVF trail, but against all odds she conceived naturally.

The couple married in Las Vegas in July and it is there he became ill with jaundice and never recovered.

Known as Big Dave - he was 6ft 3in and 19 stone - he saw a video scan of his little daughter while he was in the hospice and decided on her name.

He overcame a life-long fear of needles by having one arm tattooed with all the super heroes Anita, who runs the Dry Cleaning Centre in Atherton, with husband Brian, said: “The family was devastated. Because the hospice was so good to him we decided to do something in return.

“On the day of the funeral at St George’s Church, Tyldesley, we raised £1,800, then followed with a tribute night which raised £1,700 and his aunts and uncles organised a marathon darts match which added a further £1,200.”

The money will be presented to the hospice shortly, but fund raising in David’s memory will continue.

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