A TEENAGER has paid a heart-rending Mother’s Day tribute to his ‘beautiful mum’ after her body was recovered from the River Wye on Friday (March 29).
Mum-of-eight Tina Bollen (Williams), 58, from Penda Place, Sedbury, Chepstow, was last seen at 11pm at her home on Thursday, and the alarm was raised shortly afterwards.
Her youngest child, Louis Bibby, 18, has now launched an appeal to help pay for his mum’s funeral, to give her “the best send off possible.”
In a Facebook post, the former Wyedean School pupil, said: “To my beautiful mum on Mother’s Day. I just want to say thank you for all the happiness you’ve brought me on my 18 years of being on this planet, you’ve filled my life with such joy and love I can never thank you enough.
“You were always there for me when I was upset and made sure I was always your priority even if that meant you had to make sacrifices.
“I want to assure you that I will continue the legacy you’ve built and I will reciprocate the love and determination in life and hopefully fill others with the same joy you’ve brought me.
“I could not ask for a better mum if I tried. I’m sorry for all the times I was a pain… I know how much of a trouble I could be, but you always knew how much I loved you and I made sure I told you as much as I could.
“I hope you’re no longer in pain, even if that means I have to live with the pain of you not being here for the rest of my life.
“I hope that I can make you proud at every possible moment, you will forever be my motivation in life and I will be the successful man you always wanted me to be.
“I will always try my hardest to make you proud as long as I have air in my body.
“Fly high, I love you and I will always love you. Until we meet again, rest peacefully.”
Launching an online appeal to help pay for his mother’s funeral, which has already raised more than £3,400, he said: “I am setting this page up to help costs with my mum’s funeral. I want to give my beautiful mum the best send off possible.
“My mum meant the world to me, she was my best friend and mum all in one, and now I have to grow up without her. So I’d like to make sure she has the send off she deserves.
“I would really appreciate all donations big or small, and I understand that not everyone is able to. If you could spare five seconds of your time to share this page, I’d very much appreciate it also. Thank you so much for taking the time to read my family’s story.”
Brother Shane Dash also posted on Mother’s Day “to our beautiful mum”, who had 17 grandchildren.
“We all love you and miss you so much and will always hold you in our hearts forever. Today you can share the day with your mum for the first time in years which will make you so happy. We love you so much,” he wrote.
rooks added: “She would have gone to the end of the earth to make us all happy, that’s all she wanted.”
Tina had worked with the Compass catering group in Chepstow for 10 years having previously worked at Castleford House Care Home in Tutshill.
A former workmate posted: “A beautiful lady with a very kind heart. Always was so proud of her ever growing family. Heaven needed an angel but chose her too soon. Love to all Tina’s family at this very sad time. Fly high beautiful lady.”
And also paying tribute, a spokesperson for the Coach and Horses in Chepstow said “many of our customers” knew Tina.
Before the tragic discovery in the Wye, Gloucestershire Police had issued an appeal, saying Tina had gone missing some time between 11pm on Thursday and 2am on Friday and was “vulnerable.”
But shortly after 3pm on Friday, a police spokesperson confirmed: “A body has been found in connection with the search for Tina Bollen (Williams) who had been reported missing from Sedbury, Chepstow.
“The body was found in the River Wye at Chepstow earlier today. While formal identification has not yet taken place, Tina’s family has been informed.
“The circumstances of the death are not being treated as suspicious and a file will be prepared for the coroner.
“Gloucestershire Constabulary would like to thank SARA for their assistance in the search and all those who helped share the appeal to try and find Tina. Our thoughts are with Tina’s family at this time.”
A spokesperson for SARA’s Beachley Team said: “We were called out this morning to support Gloucestershire Police with a search for a missing person in the Chepstow area. Members of all our rescue disciplines were mobilised rapidly.
“Sadly, shortly thereafter a body was located on a bank of the Lower Wye by the crew of SARA Lifeboat 3. It was recovered back to Beachley, and handed over to the police.”
To support the family’s funeral appeal, go to www.gofundme.com/tinas-funeral-fundraiser