| Location | Newcastle Upon Tyne |
| Age | 27 years |
| Cause of Death | Overdose |
| Date of Birth | 07/10/1972 |
| Date of Death | 24/10/1999 |
| Visitors | 5,084 since 10/04/2007 |
| Creator |
Dear son of Elizabeth and John, brother of Michael and a dear dad to Ashley.
Died tragically of a heroin overdose 2 days after being released from prison. Sadly missed by all
the familyxxxxx
Stephen your legacy will live on, i will make sure it does son xx
A Mother’s Love For Her Son
Our son Stephen was born on 7th October 1972, I was so proud when I held him for the first time in
my arms looking at his beautiful blue eyes and his blonde hair as he grew his hair was platinum
blonde and his eyes were so big and blue I thought to myself, “you are going to break a lot of
girls hearts when you grow up” but I didn’t realise that it would be mine.
Stephen was a normal mischievous child always playing jokes and laughting,his smile would light up a
room, when he turned 10yrs old he joined the scouts then went on to join the army cadets, he looked
so handsome in his uniform. Stephen said that he would join the regular army when he left school,
it’s all he wanted to do.
When Stephen was 15yrs old he met Jen, they seemed to be well suited, soon he forgot about going to
his army cadets and drifted away from it altogether, when he was 20yrs old his girlfriend was
expecting their baby, he was born on 19th August 1993 and they named him Ashley Stephen he looked
just like his dad when he was born.It was a rocky relationship, Jen was always putting Stephen out
and I would take him back into our home then one Christmas when I had taken him back I discovered by
accident that my beautiful son was injecting heroin. I was horrified. Stephen said he was sorry but
he couldn’t stop. My son was a heroin addict it’s the worst fear a mother could ever have.
We lost Stephen to heroin on 24th October 1999, he had just had his 27th birthday in prison for a
shoplifting offence. On the day Stephen was released from prison he looked lovely his eyes were
clear and his skin was clear, he asked me if he could have a bath to freshen up (get the prison
smell off) was his words, when he came downstairs he smelled lovely he said to me “I might meet a
lass tonight” and I said “yes with all your dad’s smelly's on i'm sure you will.” Off he
went to town, two days later came a knock at the door about 7-45pm it was two police officer's as
soon as I saw them I knew it was Stephen, they came to tell us what we were dreading. Stephen was
found dead in the Haymarket toilets with the syringe still in his groin, it was a heroin overdose.
Because Stephen had been clean for 6 weeks his body couldn’t take it. We had to wait 3 weeks
before we could have his funeral because the police were waiting for toxicology reports so they
wouldn’t release his body.
Stephen was on heroin for 3 years although he was on it for 18 months before we knew about it, we
managed to get him into rehab 3 times and 3 times he signed himself out, he told me that he
couldn’t stand the pain trying to come off it so we accepted that he was a heroin addict and we
gave him all the support that he needed even as far as giving him money to pay off the dealers as
they battered him on the hands with a hammer till they broke them, I couldn’t stand to see him
being hurt like that, the dealers even phoned threatening us.
We have another son Michael who will be 39yrs old in July he is still single and has a council flat.
I am glad to say Michael doesn’t touch heroin thank goodness. I can’t begin to imagine what it
must be like to have more than one heroin addict in the family as I do know that in some family's
this is the case.
Stephen was dead 3yrs before we found out about Newcastle PROPS (Positive Response Overcoming
Problems of Substances) we never had any counselling or support whatsoever until then, Props has
been a great help to my husband and myself, in fact I think if we didn’t find out about Props we
would have separated because we couldn’t talk to each other about Stephen’s death until we met
our props family support worker, you can imagine the pressure that was lifted once we began talking
to each other about Stephen. People like us need people like there are at Props.
════╔══╗gone but
════║══║not forgotten
═╔══╝══╚══╗xxxxxxxx
═║════════║
═╚══╗══╔══╝
════║══║Put this on your
════║══║page if you know
════║══║someone who is in
════║══║heaven's garden.x
--♥♥-----♥♥-
A BIG THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HAS LEFT TRIBUTES AND LIT CANDLES. KEEP IT UP TO KEEP STEPHEN'S
MEMORY ALIVE FOR ALL ETERNITY..........GOD BLESS YOU ALL XXX
We lost you 8 years ago today son
A million prayers won't bring you back
we know because wev'e tried.
A million tears won't bring you back
we know because we cried.
You left so many broken hearts
so many memories too.
It isn't your memories that we want,
What we wan't is you.
Love you always from Mam and Dad xxx
ALWAYS IN MY THOUGHT
HI STEPHEN, ITS BEEN 8 LONG YEARS TODAY WITHOUT YOUR CHEEKY SMILE & MISCHIEVOUS WAYS, I WILL ALWAYS LOVE & MISS YOU, AUNTIE PAULINE. XXXXXXXXXX.
Hi Stephen happy birthday this is my first time i have wrote to you but it has been a hard journey for me since you left us. i might not have said i loved you to much but i do and i miss you so much i wish i could have helped you more in your need to try and kick the addiction you were in, there is not a day goes by that the guilt of knowing that i could have tried and done more i failed you as a father and i am so sorry.
Dont worry about Ashley as your mam and i are watching over him he loves coming to the rugby with me and he asks about you a lot he is so like you its uncanny.
You will never be forgot god bless from mam michael ashley and me.
sleeptight dad.xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Happy 35th Birthday Son
Stephen, they say there is a reason
they say that time will heal,
but there is no time nor reason
to show the way we feel.
Just thought we'd write this message
so there isn't any doubt
you are wonderful to think of
but so hard to live without.
Loving you always
from Mam and Dad xxxxxxx
Hello Stephen, we are missing you so much and wish that we could hold you just one more time. Ashley's growing up so quick it's unbelieveable how much he is like you in so many way's( it's uncanny ), love you always, Goodnight, sleeptight with all our love from Mam and dad. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
with love to Stephen;s mum & family xxxxxxxxxxxx
A Broken Heart That Speaks
I feel more depressed
Each day when I awake
I wish to god you could tell me
There has been a big mistake.
My darling son was taken
From his mothers love
To live with the angels
In heaven up above
I did not have him with me
For the time I should have had
No longer can I hold him
Which makes me very sad?
The pain of losing my son
Shows in every single tear
I spend each day missing you
Longing to have you near
Life for me is lonely now
Without you by my side
My Broken shattered heart
Is very hard to hide
People tell me that time is a healer
That the pain will go away
They don’t understand
That this pain is here to stay
For when you lose a child
There is nothing that can compare
The bond we had at their birth
Will never leave, it’s always there
The love a mother has
Runs so very deep
That love is so special
It’s in her heart to keep
A mother’s heart is broken
She is ripped apart inside
There is a part of her missing
It left when her child died
So please don’t tell me to get over it
For this I can not do
Unless you understand my feelings
And this has happened to you
Only another mother who has lost a child
Can understand my pain
Because the also suffer daily
As the memories of their child remain
We are a band of mothers
Whose hearts will never heal?
For the loss of our children
Is for us, so very real.
my beautifull nephew
stephen, you were such a little devil when you were a little boy but you always made me laugh, i was devestated when your mam & dad phoned me up to tell me the sad news that you passed away, i just could not believe it until i saw you for myself in the chapel of rest, your cousin chris, also came to see you as you were his idol, danny & nikita bearly knew you but they talk about you all the time , i make sure they will never forget you. every night i still say goodnight to your photo, i will always miss you sweetheart, goodnight & god bless, love you always, auntie pauline. X .
Im so sorry for your sad loss
I stood by your bed last night;
I came to have a peep.
I could see that you were crying you found it hard to sleep.
I spoke to you softly as you brushed away a tear,
'It's me, I haven't left you, I'm well, I'm fine, I'm here.'
I was close to you at breakfast,
I watched you pour the tea,
You were thinking of the many times, your hands reached to me.
I was with you at the shops today; your arms were getting sore.
I longed to take your parcels, I wish I could do more.
I was with you at my grave today; you tend it with such care.
I want to re-assure you, that I'm not lying there.
I flew with you towards the house, as you fumbled for your key.
I gently landed on you; I smiled and said, 'it's me.'
You looked so very tired, and sank into a chair. I tried so hard to let you know, that I was there.
It's possible for me, to be so near you everyday.
To say to you with certainty, 'I never went away.'
You sat there very quietly, then smiled, I think you knew...
in the stillness of that evening, I was very close to you.
The day is over... I smile and watch you yawning and say 'good-night, God bless, I'll see you in the morning.'
And when the time is right for you to cross the brief divide,
I'll fly across to greet you and we'll stand, side by side.
I have so many things to show you,
there is so much for you to see.
Be patient, live your journey out...
then come home to be with me.
- Author unknown
Deepest sympathies and respect
I am so sorry to all of you for your loss. I understand how it feels to have a relative with addiction problems. It breaks your heart every single day and there is nothing you can do to make things better for them except love them, just like you did.
Stephen was very lucky to have such a loving family. You are my inspiration - I know there are so many times that I get so cross with my brother - I wish it was easy for him to quit - or that I could do it for him. I feel so hurt that he (apparently) doesnt love me enough to stop - even though in my heart I know he would do anything for me and it isnt that he won't stop or just doesnt want to, its that he just can't. Your tribute has made me realise how lucky I am to still have my baby brother even with all the pain that comes with a relative with addiction problems. Why are the most loveable, fun and intelligent people prone to this? Your Stephen was so brave to keep trying - rehab can be so hard (on all of you). My heart goes out to you all.
I'm glad you have found a good support network now and have eventually been able to find some comfort in each other. Drugs are responsible for enough heartache and destruction without also dividing a loving but grieving family. I am really happy that u have worked through this. Stay strong together, you sound like such a caring family and are in my thoughts and prayers.
RIP Stephen and have sweet dreams - wrapped safely in angel wings and free from pain xx
I first met Stephen at Mountfield school when we were 7 years old. He was my soul mate, we starting going out with eachother when we were around 8/9. The relationship was on and off for many years, we finally broke up for good around the time we lost our friend, Mark Croft. Stephen never got over his death.
My mam has fond memories of Stephen as a child, he was funny, caring and the best friend I ever had.
I moved in with his friend when we I was 17, Stephen called at our flat regularly, when he didn't have a roof over his head for a night we let him stay. I wish now I had done more for him.
I couldn't get to Stephen's funeral, which I will always regret as I feel I didn't get the chance to say goodbye.
Whenever I think about Stephen it is with joy for the smiles he brought me and sadness for the help I should have given him.
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