Friday the 13th of September 2002, I received a phone call from my brother Jim around 2pm on that afternoon, to tell me what had happened. Because I live in Scotland and Steven was in N.Ireland I ran to the nearest airport to try and get home. The only flight available was to Dublin which meant I had to get up to the North from there, so I took it. The plane had a fault so was held up for 8 hours, eventually I arrived in Dublin Airport. I collected my luggage and then just sat down. I know it was very busy but it was as if I was there all alone. I remember looking up and saw that there was a flight back to Glasgow so right there and then I decided I couldn't do this and was going back to Scotland. Just then a Nun appeared, sat down beside me asked me what was wrong with me, so I told her. She talked to me which seemed like hours, told me I had to go for Steven and my other brothers. She got me a taxi so I went to Belfast.

Steven was brought home to his wife & children on the Sunday for his funeral on the Tuesday. I went up to see Steven, where people were queuing outside, I only made it to the front door, I just couldn't go in.

To the hundreds of people that paid their last respects to Steven, I thank them so much and also to the people that sent the many floral tributes, put notices in the paper, the hundreds that attended his funeral, might just give you some idea how much Steven was loved.

The people I owe the most gratitude to are Sarena (Stevens Wife), his children, my brothers who gave Steven the respect he deserved, with so much pride and dignity, whilst I could only stand outside.

The first time I saw him was when they brought his coffin outside for the funeral, that will stay with me for the rest of my life! My brother's lifted him up and I thought Raymond was going to collapse with grief.

I walked behind him through the many crowds of people that lined the street, until I could walk no more, and walked away.

To the people responsible for this, If you ever stopped to consider what you were going to do to take his life, in front of his child, and the pain and suffering you would cause, maybe just maybe this would have been stopped, but to do such a thing you have to be inhuman!!

To my friends I know I just ignored all of you, but I couldn't face anyone, thank you all for the calls I didn't answer, the e-mails I didn't reply to, but you kept them coming anyway. To my dear friend Crystal that I contacted immediately, for giving me the peace in telling me that Steven was fine, to Margaret Strachan thanks for all your help Margaret, you are only ever a call away, to Jackie thanks for always being there, to Patsy thanks for all your support, to my pal Mark Fraser. Mark knows when I want to talk about Steven and when I don't.. he listens, gives advice when he thinks I need it, Thanks Mark!

On this page the song is Eva Cassidy "Songbird" A song telling of an all Healing Love. This was dedicated to Steven when he was brought home and on the day of his funeral by his brother George. They used to play this together on their guitars. It is the most beautiful song I have listened to.

For Steven

It has taken me 8 months to accept that you are gone, you will always be young Steven, I have asked you so many times "would you come back if you had the chance " but we both know you wouldn't. I feel you around me all the time, we used to talk about this when you were 15 and you said then you would help me cope with it, you always knew, you told me often enough that you wouldn't be on this earth for very long. I loved you Steven so much, but now I have to move on in the belief that someday when its my turn to go you will be there waiting for me.