The story of the adopted child in In other news

My brother has a best friend called Ali. They’ve been friends for as long as I can remember, like childhood best mates - they’ve both turned 30 this year.

Growing up, Ali practically lived in our house, and had a crush on me which mortified my brother. He was actually my New Years kiss about 10 years ago, I was very drunk and heartbroken after the boy I’d lived with for 3 years had broken up with me 6 weeks previously. We endured years of piss taking afterwards!

Ali spent many a drunken night in ours, and it’s fair to say I think every memeber of our family has found him in some drunken state of undress at some point. My mum loves him cos despite it all he’s a really nice lad, never causes trouble, and is completely brazen. He would spend the night passed out on the bathroom floor with his arse out and still come down and ask my mum what she was cooking for breakfast. We spent many a year calling him the adopted child, he spent so much time in our house. He’s our family, and my brother is a part of his family.

We just came back from a holiday to Croatia, where my brother flew in from Australia and Ali and his wife made it over from the uk to surprise him. We had a fab weekend catching up, and a couple of late nights drinking shots like we were all teenagers again.

Ali’s Mum has been ill for a long time, she was diagnosed with breast cancer about 5 years ago, and has had multiple mets, bones and brain amongst other organs. The family have been told on many an occasion over the years to prepare themselves imminently and she’s fought back every time. She’s seen all 3 of her kids get married, and she’s got 5 grandchildren, 3 of whom have been born after her diagnosis. Her youngest daughter got married last month after moving her wedding forward 6 months.

We got the news this morning that Ali’s Mum has passed away. It’s absolutely heartbreaking. I was chatting to Ali’s wife in Croatia and she was telling me how dire things had become and how she had deteriorated quickly since the wedding. It just reminds me every time someone my age loses someone close to them how incredibly lucky I am that my mum is well and has been in remission for 6 years now.

I know how close they all are as a family. I’m just so incredibly sad for them.

Xx