On 25 March 2016, Lisa’s son, Leon, was killed after losing control of his car and hitting a lamp post, on Saltshouse Road in Hull. Leon was driving back from visiting a takeaway restaurant, after a night of dropping his friends in and around Hull City Centre.
That night, Lisa had gone to bed with a strange feeling in her stomach and was awoken at 4am by a phone call from her middle son who lived near where the crash had taken place. He told Lisa that he thought Leon’s car had been involved in a crash.
Leon had bought the car off his brother with the intention of taking driving lessons. Approximately an hour later, Lisa received a phone call from the police confirming that Leon had been killed in the crash. The coroner’s report found that Leon had died immediately at the scene of the crash from head injuries.
Upon hearing the news, Lisa recounts immediately being overcome by shock and trauma. In the first few days after the crash, she felt like life was a blur, and that she was living in a bubble. It all felt so strange.
Leon was killed after losing control of his car and hitting a lamppost
Nothing prepares you for the loss of a child. Without the help of Brake’s National Road Victim Service as well as close family and friends, I simply do not know how I would have coped after the loss of Leon, especially in those first few years after the crash. Speaking to the Brake caseworker gave me a release. I urge everyone to support Brake.
As days turned to weeks, and weeks to months, these feelings did not get any easier. After receiving a copy of Brake’s National Road Victim Service information pack, Lisa initially did not open it, feeling she could continue coping alone. But one morning, things were different, she felt she could not cope anymore. At this point, she contacted Brake. Lisa spoke to a Brake National Road Victim Service caseworker, explaining for well over an hour the situation she found herself in and how her feelings were impacting her life. The circumstances surrounding Leon’s crash had been reported in the media and especially on social media, which Lisa had felt was unjust. So, having the chance to speak to Brake and unload about thoughts she felt could not share with family was like a release for her.
The empathy Lisa received from the caseworker felt like an immediate turning point for Lisa, allowing her to speak openly and without judgement to a listening ear. The caseworker also found Lisa a counselling service, which supported her as well. This support was life changing. As a result, Lisa has completed fundraising campaigns for Brake, using social media to raise awareness of the importance of road safety in memory of her son Leon.
Lisa is working to raise awareness of the positive impact that Brake’s National Road Victim Service had on her life and wants to encourage other road victims to reach out and use the service. Lisa also wants to raise awareness of the importance of fundraising for Brake to ensure the National Road Victim Service can support more road victims.