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In Loving Memory of Our Dad, Mark Anthony Prosser

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On Sunday the 1st of December 2024, after receiving his usual abundance of love from his nearest and dearest family, Mark Anthony Prosser, my dad, passed away peacefully in his sleep. He was at home, with his two girls (my mama and I) laid each side of him and I know he would not have wanted it any other way.

Unfortunately, my dad had a great variety of serious health conditions. Shortly after experiencing a heart attack in 2013, he was diagnosed with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (shortly known as COPD). Most specifically, my dad was diagnosed with Stage 3 Emphysema. Emphysema is a lung disease in which the air sacs in the lungs are damaged - thus creating great difficulty when it comes to breathing and intaking oxygen. To manage the shortness of breath, my dad began oxygen therapy. What started with a couple of hours on low oxygen litres, slowly progressed over the last 10 years to 24/7 use on the highest measure of oxygen (Stage 4/End Stage Emphysema). With this also came with heart conditions: blood clots that required a stent to be inserted and eventually Heart Failure.

Even with a plethora of medication and oxygen therapy, these diseases were irreversible and the stages were only going to progress over time. Do not get me wrong... my dad loved a fag! And as a previous Cali-living man, I know he loved a bit more than a fag (Cheech and Chong style). But what my dad did not love was the consequences that came after. So I take this time to advise anyone reading this to consider next time you fancy a cigarette. I believe it was important to educate those reading this on the realities of my dad's conditions and the extent to which my dad would have needed to fight with all his strength to combat them. To which he most definitely did. My dad was a medical miracle. He demonstrated an extraordinary amount of resilience and strength. Ultimately, he surpassed what any medical practitioner would expect from someone in his situation. My dad defied all odds, joked his entire way through it and was nothing short of a remarkable man.

The key to my dad's accomplishment? He was simply full of love and full of life. Despite all, he dedicated his life to being a Husband to his Mahal, a Dad to his three children and a Lolo to his four apos. Selfless to say the least. I speak for my siblings and I - our dad was and will always be our hero. He woke us up way too early for school, he advised us on any matter with his wisdom, he sent us funny memes, he always checked in on us, he worked all the hours legally possible to sponsor each of our educations, he toured us around the UK with historical commentary, the list simply goes on. Fundamentally, he loved us with his entire being and then some. He never skipped the opportunity to boast about us to strangers. As he would say, we were his absolute pride and joy.

What I do know deserves its own moment is the love story of my mama and dad. Mama and dad are the OG internet pen pals! I am talking about mIRC internet chatroom in 1999; dads username RumBoogie and mamas username Joy34. After chatting for a couple of years, sending each other printed photos with written notes on the back, my dad sold his house and never looked back. He used the money from the sale to go meet mama 6700+ miles away. And there at the airport she waited with a heart shaped balloon, ready to continue the story of the lives. Dad never failed to remind us that mama is the love of his life, his soulmate. Truthfully, mama was dad's number one concern and priority. In times my mama was unwell, my dad dropped everything to be right by her side. For me, my dad set the bar exceptionally high for how a man should love a woman. It was my greatest blessing to have witnessed a love like this all my life.

Therefore, without any hesitation, my mother devoted her life to love and care for dad the moment of his diagnosis. At that stage, my dad was obligated to retire and for the last 11 years my mama automatically became his sole carer and I his young carer. We would not have had it any other way. My mama and I adored looking after dad. In fact, it was our greatest pleasure and luxury to bond the way we did the last decade. In recent times it definitely came with moments of hardship, but continuing to care for dad when he needed us most was a commitment we embraced wholeheartedly.

I really dedicate this to you mama. You were dad's breath of fresh air. Had it not been for you taking care of dad the way you did, we may not have been able to experience as many years as we did with dad. You really did get to grow old and wrinkly together. Dad's main ask was for you to be okay and be taken care of. Your three children will always fulfil that promise to dad.

With no income and with the recovery of my dad's Motability car, I make this GoFundMe to assist my mama with our financial circumstances. Any donations will be supporting us with the funeral costs, finding a means of transport and our family's home rent/bills whilst we find our footing. Notably, my dad wished for donations to be given to Keech Hospice. Keech Hospice has taken care of both my dad and mama for the last 8 years - arranging a wealth of beautiful activities such as music therapy, carers support group and Buddies. My dad and our family will be forever thankful for what they have done for us. For that reason, we will be donating a portion of these funds to them.

My family and I would be deeply grateful for any donation you can contribute. Any help, whatever the sum, is a blessing for my dad and us. My dad ALWAYS and I mean always, reminded us that he may not be rich, but the moment he looked at his family, he felt as though he was the richest man on earth.
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Donations 

  • Denise Jaidar
    • £50
    • 1 mo
  • Adam Bosworth
    • £100
    • 2 mos
  • Tracy Dick
    • £100
    • 2 mos
  • Gloria Reyes
    • £200
    • 2 mos
  • Domenico Tudisco
    • £100
    • 2 mos
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Organizer

Mary Joy Prosser
Organizer
England

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