This is my twin brother, Neil.

Neil and our sister, Michelle, have learning disabilities.

After our mum passed away in 2018 I started arrangements to relocate them up to Leicester so i could care for them.

It took 3 years of battling with the Council to finally find them A suitable accommodation near me and move them up here.

Their lives in London had been black and white in comparison to their new life in Leicester, which became the most beautiful and vibrant of colours you could possibly imagine.

They thrived.

They blossomed.

Neil quickly made friends from the various groups and gatherings that they attended regularly.

Neil knew everyone in the SEN community and beyond and Neil was loved by so many.

I had never seen him more happy in his life.

It was beautiful to witness and made me grateful for every day that he lived here.

Neil especially loved the monthly SEN discos and his sessions at John Storer House 3 times a week.

Which is where he met his beloved girlfriend…

Neil loved wearing different ‘outfits’ and especially wanted a security guard one.

I brought him the ‘uniform’ for his first Christmas in Leicester. Complete with his own I.d badge with photo that I’d made and lanyard and hat.

Neil wore his uniform almost everywhere he went and he took his ‘job’ very seriously, because he wanted to assure people that he would protect them, as any good security guard would.

Neil would go around the room checking on everyone and making sure they were ok.

Neil died very suddenly on the 19th June 2025.

He was 48 years old.

He should have had many more years, and so much more fun.

So many more new experiences, and I should have had more time with him.

Being twins I have always shared my birthday with Neil.

I’ve always pretended to blow out the candles on our birthday cake with him so he thought he had beat me at it and felt proud of himself.

I’ve always rung him as soon as I woke on my birthday to wish him happy birthday for his.

I should have had many more shared birthdays with him.

When we were growing up, our mum always used to compare our heights by saying ‘stand back to back’.

We continued doing ‘back to back’ at least once a week as he was convinced he was still growing.

No more shared birthdays.

No more ‘back to back’.

Sadly we don’t have money in our family to pay for a funeraI.

I may get some help from the government to go towards the cost of the funeral but this will not cover all of the costs.

Worrying about money at a time when you’re grieving is soul destroying.

Wondering how you will find the money to pay for a funeral that should not be happening yet.

We are incredibly grateful for those that have followed our story from when they moved to Leicester and beyond.

From myself and my sister Michelle, thank you for your support at what is a desperately sad time.