~24TH JUNE 1990 - 3RD AUGUST 2005~
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Remember, Remember
the 5th of November,
Happy Guyfawkes
A happy & safe bon fire night to
everyone, everywhere
~ 3rd August 2008 ~
3 Years in your New World Dean
We miss you so badly:
We miss you chatting constantly!
We miss your contagious laughter,
We miss you taking over the TV
for Charmed!
We miss hearing your music playing
from your bedroom,
We miss your lovely hugs & kisses,
We miss bumping into you every
morning when we both were
making breakfast,
We miss our great family holidays,
We miss your gorgeous smile,
We miss your sense of humour,
We miss your caring ways,
We miss the love you gave us,
We truly miss you Dean,
Every little thing about you.
We love you today, tomorrow
And forever more.
Sending you all our love, huge
group hug & millions of kisses,
Dean, from Mam & David
~ xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ~
~ The following are two special poems that were read out at Deans funeral, the first from his sister, Nichola,~
~Those Special Times.~
A brother very special
I valued you with pride,
But I never knew how special
Until the day you died,
I look back on the good times
That you & I have known,
I missed you every second
When I was not at home,
The photographs I look at
Time & time again,
For a moment you're there with me,
And then - that awful pain.
I'll always have the memories
They'll go on & on,
But my life will never be the same
Now that you are gone.
~ And the second from Deans school friends,
We're all here today
Almost disbelieving,
For at school we never knew
That soon you would be gone.
It still feels like a bad dream we have'nt woken up from,
A tearful book that is yet to be closed,
Those thoughts are always at the back of our minds,
But in the depth of our hearts,
There is a huge place where you belong & the memories we behold,
You will always live in the hearts of every soul you have touched,
You will always be thought of each day & night,
You brought a smile to our faces & laughter to our mouths,
The world was a better place when you stood by our side.
We'll see your face never more,
Until we meet again dear friend,
You'll never be forgotten.
With all our love;
Leona Hession, Rachael Hewison, Charlotte Hewitt, Hannah Cormie, Lara Shippen & Hazel Hancock.
~This is the last Mothers Day card Dean bought for me in 2005. I treasure it so much & keep it by my bedside beside his photograph~
~Thank you for this extremely special beautiful card Dean. I love you so much & you mean so much to me Son xxx~
Sorry I didn't get to stay.
To laugh and run and play.
To be there by your side.
I'm sorry that I had to leave.
God sent me down to be with you,
to make your loving heart anew.
To help you look up and see
Both God and little me.
Mam, I wish I could stay.
Just like I heard you pray.
But, all the angels did cry
when they told little me goodbye.
God didn't take me cause He's mad.
He didn't send me to make you sad.
But to give us both a chance to be
a love so precious, don't you see?
Up here no trouble do I see
and the pretty angels sing to me.
The streets of gold is where I play
you'll come here too, mam, someday.
Until the day you join me here,
I'll love you mam, dear.
Each breeze you feel and see,
brings love and a kiss from me.
~Thankyou for visiting Deans site, please light a candle for him or leave a tribute, it is most appreciated.
Please also visit Deans Timeline as this section is often updated.~
~ DEAN ~
A true Angel at 1 year old.
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~ Dean ~
The last photo I took in July 2005
~ An Angel forever ~
~ Dean Graham Henderson ~
This memorial website was created in the memory of our loved one, Dean Graham Henderson who was born in Dryburn Hospital in Durham on a lovely sunny day, the 24th June 1990. He had to leave us on August 03, 2005 at the age of 15 but we will love, cherish & remember him forever and see him again one day when our time comes.
Dean was always, and I am sure still is, a very happy and loving person. We were blessed to have him in our lives, even if that was shorter than we hoped. We will always remember his smile, his laugh and the way he cared about every single person close to him.
When Dean was small he loved the Pokemon & Scooby Doo, in fact he still loves Scooby Doo. As he grew older Dean loved to watch 'Friends' & 'Charmed'. I watched 'Charmed' one night with him and said to myself, oh ye now I know why you like to watch this so much....3 pretty girls with lovely figures!! Ha Ha. He also liked to watch 'CSI', 'The Simpsons' and some films that were too scary for me! He loved to listen to music & would be in his bedroom with his tv on, working on the computer & listening to his music om his I-pod, all at once! Dean had a great sense of humour & made us laugh with the things he would talk about. He loved the renault clio adverts music...'I see you baby' & then he would shake his bum in front of you laughing. I can see him doing that every time I hear the music & it makes me laugh (Iv put the song it on this site now)!
Dean smiled and laughed all his life. He was a happy baby who grew into a happy loving caring intelligent young man. Dean loved his family and friends loads and always wanted everyone to be happy and cheerful. If he could help make that happen then he would. He put other people first and enjoyed his life so much dispite knowing he had a serious heart condition. He wanted to do his very best for everyone and had so many thoughts and plans for his future. People may think Im biased but even people who had only met Dean once loved him immediately as his kindness & great personality touched everyone straight away. He loved animals and especially his dog, Marvin, who he spoilt rotten!
He even enjoyed school!! He worked hard to do well and loved his cookery lessons especially when chocolate was involved!!! He liked geography lots too. He was always wanting to do his best & get good grades as he hoped one day to be a forensic anthropologist, & I know he would do an excellant job at that.
Dean was 9 years old when we were told he had a serious heart condition, Hypertrophic Cariomyopathy. He had been diagnosed as having a heart murmer at the age of 8 but that it was not serious then at a routine examination at the hospital the doctor was not happy with the sound of his heart & sent Dean straight for an echocardiogram. This showed an abnormal thickening of the muscle in Deans heart.The doctor then told us the devastating news that Dean had this condition which was life threatening. It is not curable but there is medication which can help to control the heart rhythm & maybe help the thickening muscle from getting thicker. Dean could not participate in any sport & had to not run about & exert himself too much. We were told that some people with this condition can live to an old age & others dont but that many are at risk of sudden death. We had to tell Dean he could not do sports or run round & get out of breath, this is very hard for a 9 year old boy but even at such a young age Dean dealt with this fantastically. At first I was afraid to let him do anything & wanted to keep him wrapped in cotton wool!! However I realised that it was best to get on as normally as we could & treat Dean just as we always had before just not letting him exert himself. He couldnt go on many of the rides at funfairs which I know he would of loved but again he took it in his stride. He took his medication & we attended hospital appointments only a few times a year where the doctors always said how well he was doing. Dean knew he had a heart condition & when he was about 12 years he then realised how serious it was as he decided to look into it more himself. At times he did get frightened as he would get chest pain & of course would think the worst. I would hug him & keep him calm & it would pass thankfully. As he became a teenager we hoped & prayed that Dean would continue to grow up & live to an old age. He seemed to be coping well with his condition & was so full of life, enjoyment & thoughts for his future. Dean loved to be with his family & loved our holidays together. He also loved being an Uncle, this really made him so proud. He would play with Josh as much as he could. Im grateful Dean got to be an Uncle & have the pleasure he got out of being with his nephew. Josh always talks about Dean & I know he will never forget him.
Dean was very conciencious at school & was working hard towards his GCSE's. He had just finished school for the summer holidays in July 2005 & took time out in the first 2 weeks to finish off some of his course work so he could enjoy the rest of his holidays he said. I had really been looking forward to these summer holidays as in the past I had worked in a contact centre so we never had loads of time to do stuff but this year I was working from home so we could spend much more time together. We had planned to go to the coast & visit Rothbury. It was in the 3rd week of his holidays when we were hit with the worst tragedy in my entire life. We had no warning, Dean had not been ill. He had decided to go out with his twin sisters just into the local town, have some dinner then back to one of their houses. I thought this would be lovely & told him to be careful (I always told him this). I was then on my own & felt a bit lost in the house so decided to sort out some books to keep busy. I then had a telephone call from my daughters friend to say Dean had collapsed. I was distraught. I did not have my car as David was using it & he was at work. I called his work & somehow left a message for david to get home now. I rung my daughters & spoke to her friend again. She told me the ambulance was on its way but Dean wasnt breathing. I ran out the house towards the road I knew David would come down. God knows how we got to my daughters, its about a 15 min drive & seemed like forever. The ambulance was there but they would not let us in to where Dean was, they were working on him. We stood in the garden & I prayed & prayed & prayed. After about half an hr a paramedic came out & said Dean was not responding. We went to Durham hospital & they kept trying. I went in the ambulance with Dean & kept talking to him & praying for him. Once at hospital the doctors kept trying & I kept praying. In my head I knew it had been too long but I still prayed. Then the doctor turned to me & said it was no use. Dean was not responding & they had done all they could. I knew they had. I needed a miracle but that was not going to happen.
The rest of that night members of my family came to see us & I stayed with Dean all night. His sister, Nichola, had an awful drive up from Henlow. Her partner fortunately drove her up as it is a good few hours. Nichola eventually arrived at about 11.30 pm. We stayed a little while longer then we had to come home. I didnt want to leave Deans side but knew I had to. Dean was now in his new world where he had no worries about his condition & my nana & grandad would be there to take extra special care of him.
As Dean could not participate in any PE lessons due to his condition he would go to the library at school where he would sometimes do any homework he had. One day I asked him if he would of liked to play football as he had never shown any interest, mostly as he knew he couldnt play anyway. He said , Yes mam I would love to play. I only asked him that this year, well Im sure he will be running around playing football now looking down at us with a huge smile on his face, laughing and running.
Yes Dean was certainly an extremely special person and we will all have our very special memories of him that we will hold onto in our minds and in our hearts forever and when its our turn to join him we can catch up with all the gossip as we know how he loved to talk!
I am extremely proud & privileged to say I am Dean Hendersons mam and I have been honoured to have such an incredible caring loving, happy son.
Dean with his nephew, Joshua Lee.
Thankyou Jackie Johnson for making this for Dean.
Sending loads of kisses to you Dean, keep catching them.
These are some of Deans favourite cartoon charactors.
Deans website is continually being updated in the various sections so please feel free to browse. Also please light a candle or pay a tribute if you wish. Deans family like to read the messages from his friends it helps realise that Dean is being thought about not just by his family but by his friends and all who knew or knew of him.
I would like to say thankyou so much to his friends for the lovely memorial service held at school. It was greatly appreciated and nice to see so many of his friends . I truly believe Dean his still with us and watching how we continue to live our lives so please continue to LIVE YOUR LIFE AS YOU DID WHEN DEAN WAS WITH YOU IN BODY AS HE IS STILL WITH YOU IN SPIRIT AND ITS THE PERSON YOU ARE THAT MADE HIM LIKE YOU AND BECOME A TRUE FRIEND. I know its hard but remember stay good and strong as I know Dean had extremely lovely caring friends and he would not want your personalities to change now.
Dean gave so much love to us all.
Just Look for Me
Mother, please don't mourn for me;
I'm still here, though you don't see.
I'm right by your side each night and day
and within your heart I long to stay.
My body is gone but I'm always near
I'm everything you feel, see or hear.
My spirit is free, but I'll never depart
as long as you keep me alive in your heart.
I'll never wander out of your sight --
I'm the brightest star on a summer night.
I'll never be beyond your reach --
I'm the warm moist sand when you're at the beach.
I'm the colorful leaves when fall comes around
and the pure white snow that blankets the ground.
I'm the beautiful flowers of which youre so fond --
The clear cool water in a quiet pond.
I'm the first bright blossom you'll see in the spring;
The first warm raindrop that April will bring.
I'm the first ray of light when the sun starts to shine,
and you'll see that the face of the moon is mine.
When you start thinking there's no one to love you,
you can talk to me through the Lord above you.
I'll whisper my answer through the leaves on the trees,
and you'll feel my presence in the soft summer breeze.
I'm the hot salty tears that flow when you weep
and the beautiful dreams that come while you sleep.
I'm the smile you see on a baby's face.
Just look for me, Mam, I'm every place!
~Thankyou Jackie Johmson for personalising this for Dean~
Dean made this pic for me, Im so pleased I kept many of his pictures.
~DEANS PROM~
A special Yr 11 leavers Ball was held on 22nd June 2006 in Deans memory & two of Deans close friends, Kelsey & Danielle had the idea, done all of the organisation & held a raffle where all the money was donated to C-R-Y . Dean would certainly be extremely proud of them both, as we all know Dean wanted to help everyone in any way he could & was always wanting to do his bit for Charity. He had such compassion for people & animals which was just one of his many attributes. I am also proud of Danielle & Kelsey for what they have achieved not only for Charity but for showing Dean such loyal friendship & working so hard despite many hiccups in arranging the whole event. It was a fantastic night & everyone enjoyed themselves. The total sum raised was £732.00. THANKYOU Kelsey, Danielle,teachers & of course all the students who joined us at the Prom. You can see some photos from the prom in Deans album.
~KELSEY & DANIELLE WHO ORGANISED THE PROM FOR DEAN ~
~Our local paper, The Evening Chronicle had a full page article about Dean & the prom the girls organised in Deans memory~
I have added into Deans photo album a copy of the page with Deans class from the Yr Book Class of 2001-2006 which was kindly sent to me from his school,Whickham School & Sports College. A special poem had also been written but is too small to read in the photo album so I have wrote it out in this section below as it is lovely & I was very touched by it. Dean thoroughly enjoyed school & had some fantastic close friends, thankyou so much for caring about Dean & giving him true friendship....
Someday we will see you again,
See the smile that brightened up a day,
See the Angel, who was taken too early,
Say everything, we wish we could say.
We think of you and smile,
The memories we all hold dear,
We'd all give anything,
Just to have you near.
A much loved member of our year group,
Such a special friend,
Forever in our hearts.
Some words of comfort sent to me by some of Deans teachers:
It was with great shock & sadness that I heard of Deans death. I would like to let you know how much I have enjoyed teaching Dean Food Technology over the past year. He was always a ray of sunshine in my lessons & contributed so much. He always had a smile on his face, always very enthusiastic, positive & concientious towards his work. He loved making food products & was a talented young man who was an absolute delight & pleasure to teach. You can all be really proud of him. We can take much from his example & attitude to life. I will not forget Dean & hope these few words help bring some solice for the sadness you must be facing. Dean was such a canny lad. I am sure his spirit will be with us, shining bright for evermore.
Thankyou Karen Wright (Head of food tech at Deans school).
Dean was one of the brightest, lovely boys that I have ever had the privilege to teach. I will miss his lovely manners & sense of humour very much. God bless you all.
Thankyou Dorothy Graham (Deans Business teacher).
I was deeply shocked & so so sorry to hear about Dean. Dean was a loving, caring & kind young man, who would do anything for any-one - always with one of his cheeky smiles! He will be deeply missed but never forgotten not just by me but anyone who had the privilege to know him. Thinking of you all.
Thankyou Lesley Bland (School health advisor).
I have just conducted the first full staff meeting of term & passed on the very sad news about Dean to them. The staff & I are deeply sorry for your loss & I wish to pass onto you all of our heartfelt condolences. Dean was very well liked at school & will be remembered as a bright, pleasant & polite young man. I can only imagine the difficult time you & your family are going through in trying to come to terms with what has happened but if there is anything at all the school can do to help then please do not hesitate to contact me. In the meantime our thoughts are with you & we wish you great strength to cope in this most difficult of times.
Thankyou Neil Morrison(Headteacher Whickham School).
Some words of comfort from Deans doctors:
I just wanted to say how shocked & saddened I was to hear of Deans death & to extend my sympathys to all.
Although I only met Dean once, he was clearly a strong, mature young man who was facing up to his illness.
Thankyou Dr Paul Brennan(Consultant in Clinical Genetics).
I have just heard your very sad news indeed about Dean & I must say that I am very saddened about the news. No words can ever explain exactly how you feel but my deepest sympathies go with you.
It was a pleasure knowing Dean he was a fine boy.
Thankyou Dr David Smith(Consultant Paediatrician).
Some words of comfort from friends:
Dean has gone to a better place, the two of you have been privileged to have spent these years with a remarkable young man. God bless the both of you.
Thankyou Paul & Yvonne.
We cant put into words how sorry we are for your great loss, we only knew Dean for a short while & we will always remember him as a friendly & gentle boy.
Thankyou Jean & John (Neighbours).
I know we only briefly met Dean, but it was enough to know that he was a polite, caring & loving person. A gentle young man. We're thinking of you both.
Thankyou Kay & Paul.
And many many thanks to all the cards, flowers & condolences sent from family, friends, teachers, doctors & neighbours. They are all greatly appreciated.
Also thankyou everyone who reads Deans story & leaves a tribute or lights a candle. This means a great deal to us.
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I am so thankful to all of Deans friends who light candles, leave tributes and visit his resting place.
I know some of you have left notes & letters for Dean & I want to let you know that I bring all of these home & put them with all of Deans posessions in his bedroom. I know that is what Dean would want me to do & they will be treasured there. So please be assured that when you do leave anything at all for Dean it is most appreciated & kept safe.
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Whickham School had their prize giving night in Oct 06 & this year they have a new trophy :The Dean Henderson Food Award trophy, which Deans food tech class mates purchased from raising funds in Deans name as they are determined Dean will not be forgotten. This trophy is being presented to the student showing the same enthusiasm in class as Dean did.
Sarah Graham was the first to be awarded the trophy in the yr of 2006 & I (Deans mam) was honoured to present the trophy to Sarah.
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~SEPTEMBER 13th 2007~
This year the Dean Henderson Food Award was presented to Abigael Leigh who truly deserved it, and of course it was filled with yummy chocolates! I was once again given the honour of presenting the trophy of which I am so proud. Well done Abigael.
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~OCTOBER 15th 2007~
This week is charity week at Whickham School & David (on the left) & Michael (right), (Milsy & Heed) sung a very moving song for Dean. They sung, Hear You Me by Jimmy Eat World. It was outstanding, the entire hall was silent as they sung & they got a fantastic applause at the end. Thankyou to both of you, I was mesmorised watching you as was everyone & I know Dean would be there & real proud of you both.
I have changed the background music to this song, sorry its not being sung by David & Michael, however if in the future I can work out how to get their version on this site then of course I will.
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~ Another precious picture made by Dean for me. Thankyou so much Son xxxxx ~
~ June 20th 2008 ~
Deans party/charity ball was held today at Garesfield golf club. Deans birthday is on 24/6/08 & we couldnt let it pass without a celebration for him on his 18th. It was an absolutely great success & we managed to raise the grand total of £1000 which is being donated to CRY.
Thankyou to Deans friends & family who attended & gave us their support. Thankyou ever so much to Deans friend, James, who provided us with a spectacular disco & Lisa who took photos & each & everyone of Deans friends who took the trouble to be there for Dean. We truly appreciate all the help we had with the whole night, thanks to all of you who gave your support.Everyone has said that they had a fantastic night & I know Dean would be joining in with all the fun we had.
~ Naomi & mam cutting Deans 18th cake ~
~ Deans Auntys, Uncles & cousins at his 18th birthday/Charity ball ~
~ Richard, Aunty Kristine, Mam & David ~
~ Grandma & Natalia ~
~ Nichola & Philip ~ / ~ Nik, Mam, Aunty Eileen, Jo & Naomi, shakin that ass!!
Cherish The Memory
You can shed tears that he’s gone or you can smile because he has lived
You can close your eyes and pray that he'll come back or you can open your eyes and see all he's left
Your heart can be empty because you can't see him or you can be full of the love you shared
You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday or you can be happy tomorrow because of yesterday.
You can remember him and only that he's gone or you can cherish his memory and let it live on.
You can cry and close your mind, be empty and turn your back, or you can do what he'd want; smile, open your eyes, love and go on.
~Dean~
Thankyou Jodie Smart for personalising this for Dean
*Dean*
I love you my darling, with all my heart,
You took my breath, right from the start,
Be sure to know I love you loads,
It’s not the end of our journey,
Just one of the roads,
Wait for me; guide me to the light,
For you are my angel, in the sky so bright,
I’ll wait for the day you take my hand,
And guide me through the dark, to the Promised Land,
For the footsteps you walked and the path left behind,
Is a path to be followed, and me to find,
For you guided so many, and taught hearts how to love,
But it’s me, who’s lost the most,
Although you’re happy above.
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Charity Links:
http://www.bhf.org.uk/
http://www.c-r-y.org.uk/
http://www.4hcm.org/WCMS/index.php?memorials
A big thankyou to Chopwell Cricket Club who raised £152 in Deans memory for C- R- Y
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A big thankyou to Romag (Deans stepdad works there) for the money they raised at Xmas which was donated to C-R-Y in Deans honour. This was great & will go towards research & helping with screening clinics & medical expenses.
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A big thankyou to Lee who donated his birthday money & held a drunken auction to raise money for C-R-Y in Deans honour. Lee raised £280, thanks so much & Ive heard you had great fun too.
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C-R-Y Cardiac Risk in the Young
The Charity night held on 28th June 06 at Saltwell Social Club was great. There was an excellant turn out & we all enjoyed the Bernadette Wild Band who kept us entertained. Thankyou to the Club for organising this event to remember Dean,celebrate his life & make money for C-R-Y. I was handed a cheque for £2513.80 on the night with more to follow. The final total raised was £2853.
All of Deans family are extremely grateful for all the hard work, donated prizes & help on the night, it means so much to know how many people care & support us. Thankyou.
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~DEC 2006~ Thankyou to Romag who again this Xmas held a raffle in Deans memory & the total of £182.50 was raised for CRY.
Another £130 was donated to CRY which was given by Deans family & friends at Xmas time in Deans memory.
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CRY : On July 15th 2007
there is a Heart of London
Bridges walk. Lee is
participating in this walk in
Deans honour to raise money for
CRY. Please visit his web page:
http://www.justgiving.com/leewhite
to find out more & any sponsors
will be truly appreciated.
Best of luck Lee & many many
thanks.
£435.00 HAS BEEN RAISED SO FAR ~
WELL DONE LEE YOUVE DONE
GREAT.
Fallen Angels
There are fallen Angels amongst us,
And for each one a broken heart,
From those of us left grieving,
In a world now seeming dark.
For those who've made their journey,
Crossing over to the other side,
Son's and Daughter's now set free,
But not because they've died.
Death is just a word we use,
Signalling our time on earth is through,
We shed our earthly bodies
Transforming into something new.
Being greeted at the Gates Of Heaven,
We begin an Eternal Life,
Having been forgiven for all our sins,
Now free of all worldly strife.
God hugs and gathers His Angels
And speaks of what we must do,
He then writes down in golden words,
A promise to watch over you.
He knows your heart is shattered in two,
That's why He's provided us with Faith,
To give us the strength to carry on,
Until we too may take our place.
On the days you bend down on your knees,
Overcome with sadness and despair,
Just remember that your Special Angel,
Is kneeling beside you there.
Do not live your days filled with sorrow,
But replace it with anticipation instead,
Knowing in your heart that your child awaits,
When into their home you'll be led.
And when this day has come to an end,
While you are laying in bed tonight,
Feel the arms of your Angel holding you,
Say "Hi sweetheart'..and hold them tight.
~ Dean heres a huge hug from me, I wish so much I could hold you in my arms & hug you tight like we always did. I love you so much, youre the best Son ever, all my love, hugs & xxx, Mam ~
Thankyou Jackie Johnson so much for putting this picture together for Dean, it is truly beautiful.
~ My dedication to Dean, my brother / Nik ~
I wrote you this poem....
A smiling, loving little boy
Grew to be so full of joy
Nothing ever got you down
Your handsome face never wore a frown
You showed your love in so many ways
With hugs, and gifts and things you'd say
Looking back it's as if you were too good for here
I have never met someone so dear.
I miss you Dean like words can't explain
Knowing in this life I won't see you again
I have a ray of light ahead
That I will see you in Heaven instead
Until that time comes for me Dean
You are the best brother there ever has been
My love for you continues to grow
And I dream of the day we are reunited once more
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~DEAN GRAHAM HENDERSON ~
