Animal Kingdom

For brothers Matthew aged ten and Gregory aged five it was an exciting time, Easter holidays were approaching and they were going to visit their dad at his work for the first time. He worked as a game ranger on a private reserve and usually school holidays were the busiest time of the year for him, but their sister was not doing well and he arranged for them to come stay for the holidays.

Excitement had the boys running around helping Beth their mother to get chores done so that she wouldn’t change her mind and cancel the trip, but in all honesty, she wanted to go see her husband as much as her children. The emotional drain of raising their three kids alone was taking its toll on her, especially with their daughter Kate aged seven suffering with leukaemia. Doctors had said in June she had five months to live, which meant she was not supposed to have seen last Christmas, but she did, they went all out to make it special for her, she lay in bed when her mother tucked her in, and answered her question, “Did you have a good day?” Her blue eyes smiled up at her mother, “Every day I am with you mommy, is a good day.”

She opened her presents, and played with them all, but her stand out memory was when she heard her mother talk to her father and say she loves him. After the call she went to sit in her mother’s lap and hugged her, they all missed him when he was away, none more so than Kate, she was daddy’s little girl, his princess. Kate felt guilty she got so many gifts and her brothers got one each, she didn’t ask for any gifts, in fact she sat on Santa’s lap and asked for her brothers to be spoilt and her mommy and daddy to be happy, those were her Christmas wishes. Matthew and Gregory didn’t complain, they played dolls with her, tea party and Matthew helped hold her bike when she tried to ride it for the first time without training wheels. Gregory rode alongside her, his training wheels keeping him upright, but Kate wanted to show everyone she can ride without the training wheels. After her ride she ran up to her mother, “Mommy, mommy did you see that? I rode without the wheelies and I didn’t fall off.” Her face beamed a huge smile, which her mother captured on film, “Yes I saw princess, and we going to send it to daddy later.”

Mike having spent the end of last year at home to be with her on her final days, had exhausted his leave and the family savings, family and friends donated presents for her when they realised she would be alive, but he was unable to be home for Christmas. In January Kate spent two weeks in hospital, the doctors had told the family any day could be her last, prepare for the worst, but Kate wasn’t ready to give up, she fought through, astounding the doctors, so when the holidays approached he was called into the office, his family was being flown up to come spend the Easter holidays with him, they knew he was longing for home, his mind constantly on the thought the next time his phone rang it would be the news he was dreading.