‘DADDY IS IN THE SKY’

Amelia Townson, 31, has had to find a way to help her children cope with loss

- SASKIA MURPHY, ANN CUSACK

Pulling my last pint before I clocked off for the night, I realised someone was watching me. ‘Are you going to buy me a drink after your shift?’ the handsome stranger asked. I was taken aback by the cheekiness, but I was instantly drawn to the mischievous glint in his eye. ‘Go on then,’ I said, pulling another pint and putting it down in front of him.

It was November 2012, and meeting Damien, then 22, for the first time, I loved his charming confidence and his jokes. ‘Are you going to give me your number?’ Damien asked, passing me his phone.

Arriving home an hour later, a message pinged through. For the next few days we were in constant contact, firing texts to each other all day. Meeting up for our first date, we chatted about all sorts, telling each other about our families and swapping funny stories. After a few drinks, Damien told me he had some health problems. ‘I have epilepsy,’ he explained, saying he had three seizures most weeks. But I wasn’t fazed, and by the end of the night I couldn’t wait to see Damien again.

We became an item, and three months later, in February 2013, I moved into Damien’s flat. Seeing him have a seizure for the first time was scary, but he’d taught me what to do. I’d learnt to spot the signs if he was about to fit and I was always there to put him into a comfortable place, remove any sharp objects and make sure he wouldn’t bang his head until the seizure ended. It wouldn’t be long after that he’d start joking around again!