On the 23rd of August 2003, Angel’s dad, Major Matthew Titchener, was killed while on tour in Iraq. At the time of his death Angel’s mum, Raquel, was 20 weeks pregnant with her. Like many Scotty Members, Angel has struggled growing up not knowing her dad. As a result, Angel and her mum have formed a very close relationship.
“My mum is my rock,” she says. “She’s always there when I need her and has helped me build a picture of the great man my dad was. We always talk about him, and she’s told me so many stories about the things she and my dad used to get up to when they were together. It’s been really hard not having any memories of him, especially at school when everyone was talking about spending time with their dads.”
Angel has recently started university and, although she doesn’t see her mum every day, they speak all the time. Angel says: “I know I can always phone my mum and she’ll be there for me. She tells me all the time how much me and my dad are alike. My brother definitely has his looks and I look more like my mum, but she says there are lots of things I do that are like my dad. He loved McDonald’s and so do I, so we always make a special McDonald’s trip on the anniversary of his death.”
Another pillar of support for Angel over the years has been you, the Scotty Members reading this, who have helped reassure her that she’s not alone. She says: “I’ve made so many good friends who have experienced something similar, and just being able to talk to them, knowing they understand exactly what I’m going through, is so comforting.”
Through Scotty’s, Angel has met many other children and young people who have no memories of their dad, and many who, like her, were not even born when their dad died.
As part of our Strides programme, Angel has also received grants that have allowed her to go on educational trips with school and, more recently, even helped with her university fees.
“It’s hard to put into words what Scotty’s means to me,” says Angel. “It’s so special to have them in my life, and without them I’d feel very alone. The Christmas parties every year are one of the best things about the charity, as I really enjoy getting together with other members, and just knowing that I’m amongst people who understand.”
If you know a child or young person who has experienced the death of a parent who served in the British Armed Forces, they could be eligible for specialist bereavement support from Scotty's Little Soldiers. Hundreds of bereaved military children aren’t getting the support they need but we are here to help.
