On the 5th November 2023 my dad died at 62 years old after a long and difficult battle over several years suffering with young-onset dementia, this is when a person develops dementia before the age of 65. There are over 70,800 people in the UK living with young-onset dementia. A difficult end to an otherwise healthy life. He died the day after my mums birthday, whom he had been married to for over 30 years, two months after my 18th birthday and just one month before my sisters 10th birthday. He was a Muslim man from Morocco, who came to this country in the 1980's, earned an education, paid taxes, opened his own restaurant serving Moroccan food, became a British citizen, met my mum, an English woman, had children and called this country his home.

He started becoming ill around the same time I started secondary school and when my sister was only just starting primary school. My mum became his full-time carer as well as being mum to two children and took on all responsibility, neglecting her own health to look after others. In 2020, when the pandemic hit, this meant that we all had to stay home and this made life very difficult for everyone and meant that my dad was never able to go back to Morocco to see his family as in the end he became too unwell.

The funeral was held quickly after his death, just two days later, in accordance with Islamic tradition meaning that none of his family from Morocco were able to attend and we haven't been able to see them or go to Morocco since. The day of the funeral also happened to be the day I was supposed to be taking my practical driving test which I of course had to cancel. As mentioned, he became ill when I started secondary school and died when I was ready to leave secondary school in year 13, however I would be unlikely to be able to go to university or study further because I wasn't able to focus on my education. I would like to be able to buy a proper, lasting gravestone to honour my dad and give any leftover money to my mum and sister.