Abbie's Love, the charity set up in her name has raised in the region of £290,000 and changed hundreds of lives
Eighteen rockets will light up the night sky as a heartbroken family remembers a special little girl on what would have been her 18th birthday.
Richard and Tracy Clarke, founders of children’s epilepsy charity Abbie’s Love, will send the rockets into the air this Friday while surrounded by their closest family members in memory of their bubbly and beautiful daughter Abbie Jane.
Abbie, a pupil at Rose Wood Primary School, shouted “good night” to her parents on November 30, 2006.
But tragically, the youngster never woke up, having died in her sleep from sudden unexpected death in epilepsy aged just 10.
Abbie Clarke
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Shortly afterwards, her grieving parents set up the charity in her memory, in a bid to ensure no other parent had to endure the same devastation.
To date, the charity has raised in the region of £290,000, and recently celebrated giving away its 100th bed alarm, a special sheet which alerts parents to a child’s night-time seizures.
This week marks an emotional time for her whole family as Abbie should have been celebrating becoming an adult and potentially heading off to university.
Tracy’s younger sister Frankie Pennick - Abbie’s auntie - is now 18 and grew up alongside Abbie, almost as sisters.
Abbie loved spending time with her along with her other aunties and cousins.
Frankie recently gave birth to a baby girl, who she named Amelia Jane.
Dad Richard, who has a tattoo of his little girl over his heart, said: “Abbie made our lives complete and we miss her every day.
“She wanted to go to Stokesley School with Frankie and she wanted five kids of her own, she said.
“We once asked her what she would do on her 18th birthday and she said ‘have a drink with my mam and dad’.
“I wish she could.
“Whether she would have done is another thing.
“Girls at 18 want to be out with their friends but that’s what she thought when she was young.
“Everyone’s lives are totally different to what they might have been if Abbie had still been here.
“I don’t think Frankie would have had a baby so young - I think she and Abbie would have been off on holidays and to parties instead.
“Frankie just put up a lovely tribute on Facebook, saying how much she’s missing Abbie as she watches her own baby grow.
“It’s hard to see all these things and think about what should have been.”
As well as the fireworks, the family plans to decorate with pink balloons - Abbie’s favourite colour.
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