Mandy Jamieson appeared on BBC Breakfast on Wednesday (October 28) and described the lasting trauma of losing her 16-year-old son, Daniel Gee-Jamieson, who was stabbed in the leg at a park in Liverpool in July 2018 and later died.
Speaking to presenters Sally Nugent and Jon Kay, Mandy said: "It never ends. It's like living a life sentence, to be honest with you."
A Mother's Ongoing Grief
Mandy explained how the pain has not faded over time. "People say, 'Well, Daniel died eight years ago.' Unfortunately, my son dies every morning I wake up. Every single morning. And it never stops. Every day is exactly the same, it doesn't end," she said.
She added: "My son bled out in my arms, and I'll never forget that night. I've got PTSD. I relive it every night. I hate mornings, and I hate nighttime... That night will stay with me forever."
Charity Work and Speaking Out
Following Daniel's death, Mandy set up the charity Danny's Place in his memory. Since 2021, the charity has organised a yearly, free remembrance event for victims of serious violence, attracting hundreds of people from across the North West.
Mandy said talking about her son helps her process her grief. "I enjoy speaking about my son. I believe he deserves to be spoken about, I'm proud of him," she said, choking back tears.
Reflecting on the first months after Daniel's death, she said: "When he first died, I went cuckoo, I did, I'm not gonna lie. I wanted to dig him up and take him home. He hated being on his own, he hated the cold. I was putting umbrellas in the grave when it was raining, because he hated the rain. It sends you round the bend, it really does."
Remembering Daniel and Warning Others
Mandy remembered her son's temperament, saying: "He was hysterical. He was hard work, I won't lie. Daniel wasn't an angel. He had ADHD and Asperger's, but he was mine, and he didn't deserve to die the way he died. It just breaks my heart, it really does. He's a twin, he's got a twin sister called Annie, who means the world to me. I miss him, I miss the banter, the arguing, I miss everything. It's just hard work. People don't get it... I don't want this life for anyone."
Mandy now talks to young people and offenders to warn them about the dangers of knife crime, explaining how quickly a life can end at the hands of a knife. She concluded: "It takes a village to raise a child. Parents need to stand up to these kids now and take back our communities, and [teach] their kids to go on a different path."
BBC Breakfast airs daily on BBC One at 6am.
