| Location | Exeter |
| Age | 28 years |
| Date of Birth | 4/1978 |
| Date of Death | 7/2006 |
| Visitors | 1,769 since 05/02/2007 |
| Creator |
my brave brother, killed in Iraq in july 2006 commanding an inner cordon of a major strike operation
to apprehend key terrorists who had killed many Iraqi civilians and both British and American
soldiers. A beautiful young man taken away far too soon. he had a huge heart and would do anything
for anyone. loved and deeply missed by all.
My brother was born in Belfast on the 12th April 1978. He is 3 years older than me. We moved from
Belfast to a little village called Ballykelly when he was 7 and i was 4 and thats when my memories
begin. Even as a very young girl i can remember my brother Johnston being my best friend. We would
spend the whole time playing, running rings around our mum, climbing trees, jumping of roofs,
playing football and war with all the other kids on the estate. He always looked after me (we would
fight all the time ourselves but if anyone else was to fight with any of us then they had both of us
to face). Johnston had taught me how to swim, first spending hours trying to show me the technique
then after running out of patients throwing me into the deep end of a pool and hoping all those
hours would pay off. He even arranged my first ever kiss for me with one of his friends. He truly
was my best friend! We went to the same primary and secondary schools and i can honestly we
weren't embarrassed by each other as many brothers and sisters are at the age of 11 and 14. it
was at that age that we moved to England. Again we went to the same school for a while until we
moved house and as he was doing his GCSE s he stayed at the school he was at. it was then that my
brother started losing his hair. he was diagnosed with aelopisha at 16 and although he found it
incredibly hard he had this amazing ability to turn things around and soon it wasn't a
problem(he was still bald but took it in his stride.) once he had left school he tried many jobs but
non of them mattered to him, thats when he decided to join the army ( at the age of 19). my dad had
died when we were both very young so my brother was the man of the house and having him leave for
the army was heartbreaking, my mum spent weeks on end crying and i joined the army cadets so we
could still have the same intrests. he loved the army ( especially his friends, he would do anything
for them and that is reflected in the way he died, he kept his men safe and sacrificed his own life)
he specialized in survillience and really thrived. he was going to be promoted again when he got
back. anyway life had moved on and i had become a single mum at the age of 18 and he was so
protective of me and my daughter, they adored each other. at the age of 6 my little girl would wait
up every weekend waiting for him to come home (my brother lived with us). she just loved him so
much. by the time my brother left for iraq i had fallen in love with a great man and was arranging
to buy a house and get married. i had finally found someone that my brother approved of. he was so
looking forward to walking me down that isle. the day my bother left for iraq i cried for hours. i
had just dropped my brother of to go to war, only days after his 28th birthday, i can still remember
holding him and telling him i loved him. he phoned every few day when he was out there, i think he
was home sick and missing everyone. the last time i spoke to him was 15th july, 9 hours before he
died. it was our younger brothers 20th birthday. that night i went to bed happy, the next morning i
was told that the guy i had spent all my life with was dead. i couldnt believe it even when we got
him home, he looked so young. mt future husband and i had just put in an offer on a house with an
extra bedroom for him. the sale went through the day after his funeral. we have his bedroon with his
stuff in it but its so empty cause it doesnt have him.
my brother now cant walk me down the isle. he would have been so proud.
I am now very, very proud of him, my big brother! i miss him so much!!!!
so to him i would like to say " i love you bro, you made me the person i am and as long as i
live you will never have died. i am so proud of you, your truly the best. sweet dreams my precious,
until we meet again, i love you! to me it will always be Johnston and Violet!
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
i can remember this exact minute last year, i was at home with Chloe, (you had stayed with mother) waiting for a time that we new we could go and see you to give you our pressies. you had asked for a new digital camera as you were going to iraq in a week and you wanted to be able to take some good photos to show when you got back. Me and mother put our money together a got you a really good one. when you opened it you were so pleased, i think the fact you didnt know how to work it properly went in our favor, it must have been good! anyway what im trying to get across is that i cant believe in 1 year its now come to this. i have spent a week doing flowers for you birthday but its not enough, all i want to do is be able to hand you youre present and for you to say thanks sis.your headstone went up yesterday ready for today, that was our present to you this year, how crazy is that? im missing you so much bro, life just seems empty without you in it to share the goodtimes with.
To you my dear brother i wish you a very happy birthday and i will be with you all day as i should. love as always, your little sister, violet xxx
Always
Always
As the sun starts to rise,
I'm with you
When you hear a bird sing,
I'm there
For each raindrop that falls,
think of me
And the love that we'll
always share
In the rush of the wind
feel my touch
In the quiet of night
hear my voice
If you start to stumble
take my hand
And know that it was
my choice
When tears start to fall feel
my comfort
If you feel low share
my pride
Don't ever think that you've
lost me
For I will always be there
by your side
You'll come across reminders
and once again they're there
Something in a pocket or something that's slipped down a chair
You'll break down and you'll cry again
clutching this treasure that you've found
But maybe it's your loved ones telling you
I am still around.
i miss you bro!
i never thought i could feel so much pain. im sat here listening to josh groban- you raise me up - and all i can think about is the fact that i can remember hearing this at your funeral and knowing at that point they were going to come and get you and that i wasnt going to have you anymore. when i think that now i just want to beat them off and keep you. i miss you so much and dont understand how this has happened. how can someone shoot and kill my brother and not even get a slapped hand? i know it was an accident but he aimed at you five times and got you with 2. how can there be no punishment for that? i dont know! this is a messed up world Johnston and someday we will all be together again and be happy but until then my heart bleeds for you bro. please know everyday that i love you so much and if there was anything i could have done to help you it would have been done a long time ago. love you always bro, missing you more everyday! xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
My dearest Johnston, i miss you so much i just believe that you are not here.
We have suffered so many losses first Geordie we all love and miss him so much and i know that you did too.
I am at a loss without you Johnst, you were one of the best men i know, you were my cousin and i loved you like my brother. when i lost my darling Bill 2 years ago we became(if its possible even closer) and i used to look so forward to you coming up on leave and staying with me, You came to the cemetary with me so many times, jumped the fence at night, we lit fireworks for him and we even gave him the odd drink of smirnoff, you would drink one and then pour one for him. Although nothing could ever ease the pain of losing Bill you always seemed to be able to give me that little bit of peace and happiness even if only for a few moments. Imiss cooking you a nice dinner, or getting our take ways, you always made me feel special and for that i am truley thankful. I haven't played chess since i last played with you that was such a laugh you wouldn't go home untill you beat me by atleast 4 2.
You gave so much to me Johnst and you were always there for me. Why does this keep happening the ones we love and cherish so much are being taken from us. It must be true what people say
My Beautiful Boy
Johnston was a very speical young man we shared a very close and loving bond that not even death will break You were taken to soon from my life Johnston but never from ny heart I wiil Love and miss you in my life forever
Johnston shared a very close bond with all his family
hearts are broken from four corners of the world
Belfast, Canada, Australia and England.
Our Johnston
We sit here today our lives torn apart
tears in our eyes so much pain in our hearts,
Why our Johnston it's so unfair
we had so many plans so many things still to share,
Such a good person a fine young man
always there when you needed a hand
So many memories we'll keep forever
remembering him always forgetting him never.
We Love you Johnston
We'll hold you close withing our hearts and there you will remain
to walk with us throughout our lives untill we meet again.
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