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New Support for Road Crash Victims

When Aberdeenshire businesswoman June Ross lost her son in a car crash, she felt there was no local organisation to which she could turn for advice or simply to talk.

“I just needed the empathy of another mum who had lost a son or daughter in that similar sudden and devastating way and who truly understood the grief and emotions you go through”

June’s 22 year old son, popular chef Ian Buchanan was killed in a two car collision in the North East last year, two days before his birthday.

To mark the anniversary, his mother’s decided to help others suffering the shattering loss which follows fatal car crashes.

June’s launched a unique support group to help anyone who has been affected by a road traffic incident seek support from those who have personal experience and understanding of such a devastating event.

The Group, Don’t You Forget About Me is named after the Simple Mind’s song which was the last song played at Ian’s funeral.

“There are national groups but we are different because we are local and we are dealing with a unique section of the country which, although numbers have dropped, still has particularly appalling incident statistics, plus all the problems that go along with that,” explained June, 46, of Alford.

“We are not professionals or counsellors, we are purely people who have been affected by a road traffic incident and we are open to anyone involved in such a tragic situation. That can be anyone who has survived, a pedestrian who witnessed it, the parents, siblings, or partners of a victim – almost anyone affected in any way, no matter how long ago.

We also know that the repercussions of tragedies like this can go on for years and, in some cases, when families are fractured and they don’t have the old-fashioned extended family network, individuals need to deal with grief in their own very different ways.’

Highland-born June, who lost her father suddenly of a heart attack at only the age of 14 and her mother of ovarian cancer when she was in her early twenties finds that one of the best ways for her to cope with her grief is to try and ensure that something constructive comes out of the tragedy.

The busy mum of four recently set up a new business, Your Event Scotland.com, an online events resource for anyone requiring information and personal guidance when organising an event, whatever that event may be. Running her business and the on-going duties of being mum has helped her stay positive.

“A road traffic incident affects so many of us. My loss was my first born child and I think of him daily, not just on the birthdays and anniversaries. I hope that Don’t You Forget About Me helps others and becomes a proud and fitting legacy to Ian. There is no way we could ever forget about him, or many others!”

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