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This memorial website was created in the memory of our loved one James Fitzgerald who was born on 08th May 1983 and left us on 08th February 2010 at the age of 26. We will remember him forever.
Please take the time to pay your respects, light candles leave stories, upload pictures. Sometimes all we need is a moment of remembrance to help ease the pain of our loss. .
I'd like the memory of me to be a happy one.
I'd like to leave an after glow of smiles when life is done.
I'd like to leave an echo whispering softly down the ways,
Of happy times and laughing times and bright and sunny days.
I'd like the tears of those who grieve, to dry before the sun
It's happy memories I leave you my friends, when life is done.
We cannot judge a biography by its length,
Nor judge it by the richness of its contents
Sometimes those unfinished are among the most poignant
We cannot judge a song by it duration, nor by the number of its notes But judge it by the way it touched and lifted our souls
Sometimes those unfinished are among the most beautiful
And when something has enriched your life,
And when its melody lingers on in your heart...
Is it unfinished? Or is it endless?
The background music is 'Stop Crying Your Heart Out' by Oasis of which the lyrics 'cause all of the stars have faded away just try not to worry you'll see them some day' are words written on James' memorial stone.
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Click here to see James Fitzgerald's Family Tree |
 Tributes and Condolences |
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We miss you / Dianne Simpson (daughters mother )
We Miss Yoo.
I know how much I miss you
I feel an emptiness inside
It shows in everything i do
It's something i can't hide
I simply miss you being there
Life seems dull and flat
Without you n...
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R.i.p james x / Nikolle Singh (courtney's auntie )
thankyou for being a great dad 2 courtney and for always making me laugh i will miss u and hope that u are ok up there. thanks for sending us the good weather i will never forget my 7th birthday as u helped 2 put all the balloons and decorations up.w...
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my big bro / Lisa Briggs (sister)
hey bro i love you forever and ever i will never stop thinking of you i hope u will be looking down on us and looking out for us too. still cant believe your gone but it wont be the last time i will see you ill see u when its my time to go and then w...
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from me to you xxx / Dianne Simpson (mother ti his daughter )
In life i loved you dearly In death i love you still In my heart you hold a place no one could ever fill love you always xxxx
Cant beleive you aint hear am missin our texts and calls missing our banter when we ware al together partying it till...
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Thank yous / Sarah Fitzgerald (Sister)
As I was uploading the pictures I realised one thing, the support from everyone over the past few weeks has meant the world to me and my dad.
I'd like to say a special thank you to Alan, Richard, Bobby and Barry for accepting the duty of pallbears&...
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we all miss u / Dianne And Courtney Simpson Fitzgerald (mother ti courtney ) Read >> |
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R.I.P / Claire Mc (friend) Read >> |
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missing you / April Hoggan (mum) Read >> |
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miss u son / April Hoggan (mum) Read >> |
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r.i.p / Fraser Chalmers (friend) Read >> |
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Loved and Missed always / Richard Howie (Step Brother ) Read >> |
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R.I.P / COURTNEY FITZGERALD (DAUGHTER) Read >> |
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Dear Brother / Sarah Fitzgerald (Sister) Read >> |
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| His legacy |
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The Answer
I guess If your reading this your looking for the answer to why James sadly and suddenly was taken from us on the 8th Feb.
Before reading on I must stress that this is my perspective, it is no way designed to upset, hurt or shun my brothers name. It took us, his family, until the 15th April to find the answers we have been longing for. People Ask me 'what are you going to tell people?' My reply 'the truth' I can sense fear in those people of how James will look to others.. but this is where the problem lies...the fear of how we are perceived. James knows this better than any of us. It has taken a lot of thought on what to say and get my head around how to approach this. If he was here he'd not want me to write this but from where he is now I know he wants me to.
James' death was registered on the 8th of Feb but its more likely that he died on the 7th. There are no suspicious circumstances and it brings me and my family great comfort to know/say that he died peacefully and painlessly. It has come to light that James went to bed during the day of the 7th and either fell asleep or drifted into a coma and never awoke. It's as simple as that! How can this happen to a 26 year old?
James had a drug addiction. Please understand it was not the last 'hit' that caused him to die, there was no 'bad hit', no 'exsessive levels', no 'bad batch' It was his ADDICTION that caused him to die. And yes, it was heroin, the evil word no one likes to use, why? because heroin has a label, a stigma attached to it. ' I don't want people to think he's a junkie'. - I understand these words but dissect them for a minute.. for a start, anyone who use's the word 'junkie' is an uneducated fool. It is this 'junkie' label/stigma that prevents the people who we love and love us back from asking for help and to speak about the reasons behind the addiction. Technically I'm a 'junkie'- Yes that is right I am a 'junkie'. I have a substance addiction. Are you a junkie?
James had a substance addiction, that substance was heroin. Many people can live their whole lives with a heroine addiction it is possible. Many people take overdoses accidental or purposely. Neither of these happened to James. Some people would say he died of natural causes.. yes and no.. James died because his body gave in to the substance abuse, he didn't take a hit and then it was over, he went to bed feeling tired and never woke up. It wont be the last cigarette that kills me, it will be the years of nicotine abuse that kills me. It wont be the last glass of wine, it will be the years of alcohol abuse. It wont be last pie and chips, it will be the years of over eating or on the other hand the last skipped meal. James addiction is no different to any other addiction, yes, I agree they are all on varying degrees of life expectancy. Alcohol, nicotine, illegal drugs, legal drugs, prescription drugs, food, caffeine, gambling, sex.
'People to think' - Lets not discuss the real reasons. Lets lie, pretend, make it rosey. ' I had no idea, he never said' I hear this a lot, he never said because what would 'people think'. Lets hide it under the carpet lets never talk about it.. cause it's shameful. Pretence and lies cause anxiety, depression and addictions. What a vicious circle. Break the cycle by being honest and more importantly being receptive and non judgemental to honesty. Those who have the most under their carpets are the ones who fear honesty the most! Lift up your carpet and hoover.
My point, we all have our crosses to bear. Don't throw stones in glass houses. We make the choices in our lives, no one else. Some choices are harder to deal with than others. Don't blame the drug, other people, circumstances, events. Take a lesson from life and lives that have passed. If you feel uncomfortable at anything i have said then maybe you need to take a closer look at the reasons (under the carpet) within yourself as to why? James is and always be very special to me. Infact my brothers death has taught me a massive lesson in life and for that I will be forever grateful.
P.S tell the people you love, you love them, for there may not be a tomorrow.
P.P.S Just incase you missed the point I do not have a heroin addiction.
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What made James special
James was a boy that was loved by all. He'd always see the good in everyone and very rarely had a bad word to say. His generous nature shown through as he'd never see anyone stuck, he'd give you his last penny if he felt it would make you happy. You could always rely on him to be there in times of need and distress.
He was a doting father to Courtney, he'd often say 'my daughter is my life' his little piece of sunshine and his greatest moments of pride.
James' world was a little troublesome from time to time we can not shy away from this fact but everyone that knew him loved him for who he was. Whether he is known to you as son, brother, father or friend he will be truly missed by us all.
Its strange talking about my brother in the past tense... I find it quite difficult. To me and probably to you, I expect him to appear out of no where as he always did. James was very special to me and is still very much special to me. I could not of wished for a better brother. As his sister I was very protective, sometimes too protective. Side by side in everything we did. We schooled together, played together, bathed together (he'd hate me for saying that) but yes it's true. We'd fill the bath up and melt as much soap as we could, don some swimming googles and play hunt the toys at the bottom of the bath..and right up until we became tennagers we'd take turns in sleeping in each others bedrooms. The nights we weren't together we'd shout between the two rooms..to the annoyance of my father. My dad helped us make the classic two yoghurt pots and string 'phones' so we'd be a little quieter, that didn't work so we tried walkie talkies instead but the batteries would die quickly.. so we gave up and moved into each others rooms. We'd also take turns in singing each other to sleep. James' favourite song to be sung was 'Bright Eyes'. He'd like to sing 'I know a song that will get on your nerves' just so that I'd tell him to shut up and sing to him instead. I was always the sensible sibling, I had to be as my dad didn't have time to be carting us both off to A and E. We kind of ballanced each other out. James always had these fearless ideas.. I always knew they'd end up in tears so watched from the sidelines after trying to convince him that he was just going to hurt himself.. nine times out of ten I'd be right but he'd never learn. He once got in a suitcase and asked me to push him down the stairs..I tried to say no but he made me.. he also convinced me that sledging in a black bin bag was a good idea... wrong.. neither of us could sit down for a week.
As we got older the roles reversed, he got taller than me, stronger than me and he became the protective sibling. James knew more about me and my life than anyone one else. He always will. During the hard times I would confide in him... he never had the best advice other than ''do you want me to sort him out'' or ''cider?'' but it didn't matter he always listened intently. That is what I'll miss the most.
My little cheeky brother, the boy who tried to make me say my first swear words and secrelty played with my barbies... I will miss you more than you ever could of imagined.
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James Family
James was born into this world of the 8th day of May 1983.
James was the second child to Kevin and April Fitzgerald having a sister sarah who was 18 months older.
He became step son to Sandra, step brother to Alan, Richard Bobby, Catherine and half brother to Barry and Lisa.
On the 17th day of July 2005 he became father to Courtney Louise Elizabeth Fitzgerald.
He was taken from us suddenly on the 8th day of February 2010 at the age of 26. |
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| James's Photo Album |
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