Emmerdale and I’m a Celebrity star Lisa Riley has penned an emotional tribute to her late mother, Cath, 14 years after her passing.
The soap star, known for the role of Mandy Dingle on the ITV soap, marked her beloved mum’s death anniversary in a heartbreaking Instagram post.
Riley shared a sweet snap of Cath, who died of cancer in 2012 at age 57, doting on her first-born grandchild, Riley’s then-newborn nephew Jakey.
ITV
In her tribute, the actor called her mum a “guiding light” and expressed sadness for not being able to share her most recent, happiest moments with her.
“14 years ago today, Mum, you were taken away from us. To be our guiding light. How I only wish I could just have you with me, let me hear you, let me laugh with you, smile at the same stupid things. Every single day of my life you were either by my side with me, or we spoke never less than twice a day,” Riley wrote in text across her Story.
“This very year I turned 50, I don’t have a photo of you next to me when I cut my Birthday Cake-when I got my letter from the King that I’d been honoured on his Birthday list as a MBE, I couldn’t tell you. That is why it’s hard. You were, ARE, my everything. The years go by since you went to heaven, but the NEED for you by my side never ever ever ever goes away. LOVE YOU MUM.”
The actor concluded her tribute: “Keep shining your special shine-I just love this photo of you when Jakey was born-the connection in your eyes-the love for your first grandchild – he’s REALLY doing you proud.”
Riley’s post was met with an outpouring of support from fans, with one person writing: “Aww this post was so beautiful and made me cry, I’m doing life without my Mum too and it’s the hardest chapter of my life. thinking of everyone that is going through grief, it hits hard.”
A second person also shared: “This resonates with me so much, i dont enjoy doing life without my Mum. Sending you so much love, how proud of you she must be watching from above x.”
If you identify with the themes in this article, the NHS has resources available to help with grief counselling and other support in the UK. In the US, the CDC also has resources available for those grieving.
