Cardiff mother publishes ‘untold story’ in inspirational memoir
Aug
A mother from Cardiff is to launch her private memoir, nine years after her family story became worldwide news.
Anna-Louise Stubbings lost her husband and her 7-year-old son in a tragic road traffic accident in December 2015. She has spent the last two years writing her autobiography, which will be published on what would have been her son’s 16th birthday.
Mrs Stubbings said:
“On September 15th this year, family and friends should be celebrating what would have been the 16th birthday of my son Fraser ‘Bear’ Bates. Like many who have been bereaved, we’ll still be celebrating by lighting candles, but we’ll also be marking the event with the launch of my book, Life: A Story Of Believing, which has taken me over two years to finalise.
“When the incident happened, our family story was splashed across news headlines all over the world. We became the face of tragedy. People think they know my story but the truth is, they don’t. This is the first time I’ve ever told anyone what happened to us.”
Following the road traffic incident just outside Cardiff, Anna-Louise and daughter Elizabeth were thrown into a whirlwind of grief, trauma and disbelief. But from tragedy came inspiration, with Anna-Louise launching an award-winning charity to support those donating to, and benefiting from, organ donation.
“Just six days before this incident, Wales had been the first home nation to adopt a new ‘soft opt out’ organ donation. Ironically, I’d had a conversation with Stuart a few days before the incident so I knew what he and Fraser would have wanted. Fraser’s donation went on to save at least four lives, but the process and the questions were difficult. I knew immediately that something needed to be done to educate and support those affected by organ donation.”
In the middle of the funeral planning, the witness statements and mass local mourning, Anna-Louise founded the charity Believe Organ Donor Support that she still volunteers for full time as CEO.
“This book is the first time that I have opened up my heart and my soul in full, not only about organ donation, but the realities of everlasting grief and trauma of both widow and mother.
“I have written this book without the backing or influence of big publishers. These are my own words, raw and real; my personal and deep-rooted recollections are being shown to the world for the first time and the fact that our launch will take place on Fraser’s 16th birthday means it will be an emotional evening.”
Anna-Louise overcame self-doubt throughout the process of writing the book, but now hopes that her book can help those dealing with their own grief and trauma.
You can read the first chapter of Anna-Louise’s new book by clicking here
