I’m sorry I was never old enough to pronounce your name properly Uncle ‘Keb’ because; your diagnosis was too late.

I made posters for you whilst you were sleeping Uncle Keb, but you never got to see them, because; your diagnosis was too late.

You must have been real tired Uncle Keb - Mummy and daddy made me talk and sing to you whilst you slept , but you never did wake up... because; your diagnosis was too late.

Uncle Keb, Uncle Keb, I’m a big sister again, she makes a lot of weird noises (and smells) but she really is cute, was she a gift from you? Because; your diagnosis was too late.

Hey Uncle Keb, I started big school today, it was real scary but I knew you were there with me because; your diagnosis was too late.

Uncle Keb! I got the lead in the Christmas nativity today but you’ll never get to hear me sing because; your diagnosis was too late.

We moved into a new house Uncle Keb, I even got a fish, but you never got to meet bubbles because; your diagnosis was too late.

Auntie Tey got married today Uncle Keb, boy did she look beautiful – but you couldn’t walk her down the aisle because; your diagnosis was too late.

We have a little boy in the family Uncle Keb, his name is Oscar, he carries on your legacy in his middle name because; your diagnosis was too late.

Mum looked like an angel dressed head to toe in white today Uncle Keb, I bet you saw her glowing from way up in the clouds because; your diagnosis was too
late.

Today I turned 19 Uncle Keb... you never got to be 19 because; your diagnosis was too late.

Hey Uncle Keb, guess what? Auntie Tey had another little boy and he looks just like you, but we’ll never get a photo of you both because; your diagnosis was too late.

Alice is off travelling the world again but we know you’ll watch her from the heavens above Uncle Keb because; your diagnosis was too late.

Hey Uncle Keb, I got married today! I would do anything for you to meet my husband, Charlie, but you can’t because; your diagnosis was too late.

Charlie and I had a baby! The new generation is here, she won’t ever get to meet you Great Uncle Keb, but we’ll talk about you every day because; your diagnosis was too late.

Uncle Keb, the whole family have flown the nest and they’re all miles away now but I guess you’re still furthest because; your diagnosis was too late.

It’s your 40^th birthday this year, wow the years have gone fast!
But, I guess you’ll never get wrinkles Uncle Keb because; your diagnosis was too late.

This year would have marked Kevin Collyer's 40th birthday but unfortunately he only spent 18 of those years with his friends and family, here. 

To celebrate Kev's life and help raise awareness for the Meningitis Now we (Rosie and Charlie Wallis) are going to run just over 40k - 42.16481 to be precise... For the London Marathon 2017

More details to be confirmed regarding the full event and where to meet for an ice cold bevvy afterwards to celebrate and raise a glass for Kev! 

#RemeberingKevin

If you have any ideas about possible fundairasers or would like to help support us, please contact either of us at - rosiebocking@hotmail.com or charliewallis@live.com

Thank you, 

Rosie & Charlie x

Kevin's story, as told by his sister, Chloe; 

Meningococcal disease

Kevin came back from a two-week boys' holiday to Tenerife; all of them bar Kev had flu-like illnesses whilst they were away but Kev apparently only started to feel unwell on the plane. He told his friend that he felt like he had been run over as his body really hurt. 

A couple of hours after being back in the UK the sickness started so Mum collected him from his girlfriend's house and bought him home. 

A visit to the doctor's resulted in him being sent home with gastric pills, an 18-year-old just home from Tenerife didn't raise any alarms, the doctor simply though he had overindulged. For some reason I left work early (I think I knew inside that something was wrong). When I got home Kev was burning up and was saying that his legs were really hurting. By now me and mum were really worried so I went straight back to the doctor and insisted that he see me as Kev was just too unwell - luckily he did and he then called an ambulance for a suspected 'Meningitis' case.

The ambulance men, the doctors and the nurses all thought Kev was a typical 18-year-old and had either taken some drugs or drunk too much on holiday. He was conscious and talking to us but felt very unwell. The sickness had stopped but the oxygen was helping his leg pain so he felt a little better.  

Not long after I noticed a small flat purple splodge on Kev's hand, so I asked him if he had had any fights whilst away; he said he hadn't. Almost instantly another splodge appeared so I grabbed a passing doctor. She took one look and lots more doctors and nurses started appearing. We were ushered out where I found one doctor looking in a medical book of tropical diseases as they did not know what was wrong. This tipped me over the edge as by now I knew something was seriously wrong with my brother. 

After some time we were told that Kev was being given a lumbar puncture to check for meningitis, as well as taking lots of other blood and sample tests. I have no idea how long this all took but eventually we were told that Kev had meningococcal septicaemia. Nothing was really explained, just that he wasn't very well. Me and my sister were told to go home for the night and only Mum was allowed to stay. Unbeknown to us this was the last time we would see our brother alive. I won't go into what Mum had to endure alone that night, needless to say everything got worse. Kev's body was slowly shutting down, he didn't know where he was and was in tremendous pain and my poor Mum had to suffer it alone. By the time me and my sister arrived the next morning Kevin was in intensive care and we were being told to say our goodbyes.

Kev went through a lot during the six weeks he was in intensive care and luckily for him he never regained consciousness. On 29th September 1995 he passed away after we decided not give him any more pills to keep his heart pumping. He had suffered enough and even endured a few amputations due to the septicaemia.

That night, aged 21 years, I lost my brother and one of my best friends; 13 and a half years later and that void is as raw as ever; part of me will never understand and accept it and another part of me has learnt that I have to. I hate that life has moved on and I now have an 11-month-old baby boy who Kev would have adored, plus he has three teenage nieces, only two of which he met. - See more at: http://www.meningitis.org/book-of-experience/kevin-collyer-26091#sthash.s0cRQGQD.dpuf