When this song was new in 1979 i was 13 or 14 years old, and it became my lifetime favourite.
Some years later in the 1990s when my mother looked after my niece,Katy-Marie Dempsey, Katy-Marie often had a little blue eyed blonde girl in tow called Claire.
They grew up and went to school together,eventually leaving and hanging out together.. doing their own things, but keeping in touch.
Around the year 2005 Claire ended up working for the Cumberland Building Society,usually based at Egremont and thats how we met,exchanging idle nonsence chit chats and the like, ..her asking what rubbish ive bought now on E Bay..usually followed by a gorgeous beaming smile..you know how it goes.....we just sort of "clicked".In November 2006 Claire turned 20 and asked "are you going to send me a card?" i said "yes" adding "getting old now eh?"..she was so pleased.
In 2006 my niece Katy Marie got married and the reception was held at the Falcon Club,Egremont.
Claire was there, 5 foot nothing,red dress,blonde hair,blue eyes,beautiful both in looks and personality beaming that same gorgeous smile as always.
On that night we danced to this Rainbow song and she looked stunning.
We continued our jokes and chats over the following year,sometimes bumping into her in the Cleator Moor branch of the Cumberland Building Society,sometimes on a street somewhere..she was full of snot in February!!
On Saturday 12 April 2008 i recieved a Long Service Award for 10 years service to the Military Vehicle Trust,and was looking forward to mentioning it to Claire on the Monday.
That same Saturday, news came through of a 3 vehicle crash near Moota, Cockermouth.
One of the vehicles contained Claire, her cousin and two aunts ..3 were dead and 1 critically injured.
Claire was cut from the wreckage alive but in a critically injured state and was transferred from Whitehaven to Newcastle hospital.
On Thursday i went to work as usual in the Council Parks department van, and we set about our job of grass cutting,parking in the nearby town of Thornhill.
We had the radio on,the news came on, and the bottom fell straight out of my world.
On Wednesday 16 April 2008 Claire sucumbed to her injuries recieved in the crash and died. She was 21.
That Thursday morning we ended up back in Egremont for dinner and i walked into the Cumberland Building Society on the main street and asked if they would pass a card on to her relatives.
They hadnt had the latest update....so i told them. Those four words "She didnt make it" stuck in my throat like barbed wire-it choked me to say them.
As i understand it, Claire will be interred on with her relatives, Tuesday 22 April 2008,9:10am at St Marys church,Cleator..i wont attend, my last image of this beautiful girl will not be a wooden box going into a hole...Instead i will remember Claire through this song and a wonderful memory of a brilliant evening with a beautiful,bubbly gorgeous girl at the Falcon club,Egremont.
Claire is survived by a Daughter,Ellie,age 3 who ive met twice...a little shy but no doubt she will be an excellent legacy of Claire.
Claire Edwards was unique,a bright, blonde,blue eyed 5 foot nothing bundle of fun and energy with a wonderful sense of caring for people....her favourite colours were pink and red.....and she loved chocolate!.
Claire touched the lives of everyone who met her,never a bad word (exept for my E bay antics!).
On Wednesday 16 april 2008 this beautiful angel fell asleep in the arms of God.
To her friends and family...i dont know you..and all of you reading this dont know me,but this gorgeous girl melted my heart and entered my life a long time ago. I would give anything to bring her back, to hear the way she said my name "Col",or pronounced the computer game Wii as "Weee" with that cute squeak in her voice followed by that beaming smile and laughter.
Claire looks down now from Heaven,lighting the stars in the night sky with that same gorgeous beaming smile as she watches over Ellie as she grows, and as i sit here typing this early on a Saturday morning my heart breaks and tears blind me knowing i will never see Claire again.
You see folks,that beautiful bundle of fun by the name of Claire Edwards was my friend,she stole my heart and i was glad to give it..i will miss her every day for the rest of my life..but my heart bursts with pride with the memories of this song and a wonderful evening in the company of a stunningly beautiful girl.
Claire Edwards,you touched my life and i am all the better for having known you,you were taken from us far too early and had so much more to give,may you watch over your daughter Ellie allways..i wish you all the best for what would have been your 22nd birthday in November 2008,and for all the future birthdays you will have in the place youre now at.I miss your voice,i miss your smile,i miss your laughter.Memories may fade but this is one idiot who will miss you forever..sleep well gorgeous....
Tags: claire whitehaven cumbria moota crash car cockermouth egremont cumberland cleator moor thornhill lowca bigrigg carlisle
