Having worked as a journalist for the last 20 or so years, it’s not often that the front page of a newspaper moves me to tears.
But I was completely shaken yesterday when I saw the photos of beautiful Christina Schmid, alone, dressed in black and carrying flowers at the funeral of her husband Olaf who was killed while defusing a bomb in Afghanistan.
It is an impressive thing for any young widow to be able to stand up and address a packed cathedral only days after her husband’s death. But to do that when you know the camera lenses of every media outfit in the country are trained on you is something else entirely.
Christina is 34 – the same age I was when Nick died. Perhaps that’s why this story more than other similar stories got to me. Perhaps it was the image of her standing on her own, yet surrounded by hundreds of other people, which resonated with me.
WAY is trying to strengthen ties with the military. I believe that even though the forces give support to men and women whose partners die in active service, and on training, there is still a need for those partners to be able to talk to others who have lost the person they love.
And many of those partners will be living in civilian accommodation, working in civilian jobs and will need more support than the army, air force or navy can offer.
Seeing Christina’s picture has strengthened my resolve to do more to build links with all service organisations.
WAY extends our deepest sympathies to Christina, their son, and all other young men and women who have been widowed in recent conflicts.
