Mum of murdered Lee Rigby reveals expanding charity in his name helped her rebuild herself after hitting rock bottom
THE mum of murdered soldier Lee Rigby said expanding a charity in his name helped her get back from rock bottom.
Lyn, 57, said she felt suicidal and at her lowest point laid by Lee’s grave on a freezing, wet night.
She said: “There was nowhere for me to lick my wounds and rebuild.
“I was determined to change that for others.”
Now she is focused on celebrating his life and helping other bereaved military families through the Lee Rigby Foundation.
It has just opened two respite holiday units for grieving families in Kent, adding to the one the charity has in Wales.
Lyn said: “Lee would be proud his life is being honoured by doing something good for others.”
For Lyn it’s a way to keep her son’s legacy alive to make sure Fusilier Lee is never forgotten.
The Foundation plans to open more caravans in the north and south of the UK for those in need.
Lyn opened up about feeling suicidal.
She explained: “I didn’t think I could carry on. I just wanted to die and be with Lee.
“When I hit my lowest point, I found myself lying beside Lee’s grave.
“It was a freezing cold winter’s night with wind and rain crashing round me, but all I could feel was the pain of losing Lee.
“If I could have climbed in that grave that night to be with him, I would have.
“There was nowhere for me to run to when I hit rock bottom. I was determined to change that for others.”
Lyn cut the ribbon on the eight-berth and six-berth caravans – named Riggers Retreat and Drummers Retreat – last month and the holiday homes can be booked via the Lee Rigby Foundation.
The charity was gifted the two new caravans by well-wishers Susan Massey and Billy Whitfield.
They saw a newspaper article about the foundation’s holiday home in Wales – and stepped in to help.
Off-duty Lee, 25, was mown down and killed in the street with knives and meat cleavers by ISIS extremists Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale in a terror atrocity.
He was walking home to his barracks in broad daylight when his killers – both later sentenced to life – struck.