Dame Esther Rantzen’s heartbreaking Christmas has been revealed by her daughter.
Rebecca Wilcox has shared the details of what may have been the last Christmas with her mum who joined Dignitas – and how she tried to take in every last memory on what was an extraordinary day filled with love. The acclaimed broadcaster and campaigner Esther Rantzen, was diagnosed in January with stage four cancer.
Rebecca said her 83-year-old TV star mother was not thought to be able to make it to the end of the year but a new wonder drug has bought her precious time and she was able to spend another Christmas with her children and grandchildren this year.
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Rebecca said she went all out to make it the most memorable loving Christmas on record, putting decorations up in November and even ordering two turkeys in case of a problem.
(Image: Getty Images Europe)
Hosting the whole family including her sister, Miriam, Rebecca festooned their bedroom with holly and glitter, and a large box of goodies was placed on their table, filled with everything they might need or want during their stay.
Rebecca told the Daily Mirror: “Mum and Miriam arrived in good humour, though thoroughly exhausted by the journey. I put the kettle on – tea is the healer of all problems in my house – and unloaded their car which was filled with cakes, presents and mince pies.
(Image: PA)
“But I couldn’t relax. I was too aware every moment was a precious treasure. I felt I needed to hold on to each minute so tightly I was probably exhausting to be around. I found myself stressing about the unstoppable trickle away of our time together. Every second, I felt I should be sitting beside mum, soaking it all in.
“I became her shadow, not wanting to miss a moment of our last Christmas. It was only the madness and chaos that comes with hosting Christmas, and helping my husband with the magnificent meals, that pulled me away from her – a fact she was probably grateful for.”
Distracted by having to sort out the turkey and other Christmas day chores Rebecca said she stopped trying to hold back time, and that way found contentment. “I was able to see how wonderful it was, a memory in the making, and one I should enjoy, not try to control,” she explained.
(Image: PA)
Esther’s grandsons Benjamin, 11, Alexander, 8, were taught solitaire from Esther who won it and in turn taught their grandmother how to play sudoku. Her six-year-old twin granddaughters Romilly and Florence performed animal charades.
Esther also held a game of drawing consequences followed by a singsong of the 12 Days of Christmas. She also tried karaoke on the childrens’ games console. Rebecca says her Christmas wish is to have “another Christmas miracle and Mum is coming to celebrate with us. She has a habit of making the impossible possible, so watch this space.”
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
