The Beckwith Family

Once the malignant tumour was diagnosed, our lives were filled with utter despair. We had one brief period of remission, but Peter gradually deteriorated. I gave up work to nurse him through a long and torturous illness, while also caring for our two very young children and trying to help them through their own confusion and grief.

The last six months were particularly difficult. There was no hope for Peter, and it was all I could do to hold everything together for his sake. I wept bitterly for Peter and for myself, but above all for our children, Will and Ella.

When Peter passed away in 2007, Will was only four years old and Ella was just seven months old. To make matters worse, it became a battle to receive compensation for Peter’s death. We were grieving, financially vulnerable and facing a deeply uncertain future.

One of Peter’s final wishes was that I contact Legacy. I did—and the very next day, a Legacy volunteer was standing on my doorstep.

From that first moment, Legacy was magnificent. They helped address our desperate financial situation straight away, but their support went far beyond financial assistance. At a time when we were at our most vulnerable, Legacy gave our family stability, reassurance and hope.

As Will and Ella grew, Legacy’s support grew with them. They received help to stay connected and supported at school, as well as opportunities to attend Legacy youth camps. At these camps, they built friendships with other children who understood what it was like to lose a parent who had served.

Will still remembers what those camps meant to him.

Today, Will, 23, and Ella, 19, are capable and confident young adults. Both have become Legacy Youth Leaders, mentoring and supporting other children from veterans’ families as they navigate experiences similar to their own.

I know Legacy will always be there for us. Each year, more children enter Legacy’s care just as Will and Ella once did. It is only because of donors like you that these families can find stability, friendship and confidence—even after unimaginable loss.