Jess Redden has shared an emotional tribute to her dad Brian on his first heavenly birthday.
He sadly passed away last September in St. Vincent’s Private Hospital, and marking his first birthday without him, Jess penned a heartfelt poem.
“I laugh, I smile and then I cry. It comes in waves this broken heart of mine,” she began.
“Without you here to see me grow it knocks me down to a new low.
“But then I wake and feel you by my side, with your angel wings gently pushing me to take the next stride.
“A roundabout of emotion which I’m trying to navigate through, what I would give for five more minutes with you.
“The world is dark without you here but I know you wouldn’t want me to live in fear.
“So I’ll live the bright moments and embrace the sunshine. Happy birthday daddy, I promise we’ll be just fine.”
Jess previously revealed the grief can be overwhelming at at times, but the support of her family and friends provides huge comfort.
Sharing a number of beautiful family snaps, she said, “Everyone’s journey of grief is subjective and sometimes we get out of bed and carry on with our lives but other days we think what’s the point?
“The point is that the person we lost never truly leaves us, they would want us to keep going, to keep smiling, laughing and living.”
She continued, “Losing a parent is not easy, I tried to find support online but grief is something that’s not widely spoken about so to everyone who has lost someone they love – I send all my light and love to you. If you can’t cope right now let the people around you do it for you, support is everything.
“To my dad – I love you endlessly and I’m so grateful for every moment we had together. It’s hit me hard today but I feel your hands on my shoulders every day, my angel in heaven.”
Jess and her partner Rob Kearney were due to wed over the summer, but decided to put their nuptials on hold following the death of her dad and will go back to them in the future.
“It’s a big day for a girl, there’s a huge amount of emotions that come with that day, particularly when your dad’s not there not to walk you down the aisle,” Rob previously told the Irish Independent.
“Unfortunately it’s taken a real back seat now for us. Whenever she’s prepared and ready that she feels she can face that day, we’ll make it happen.”