A Fife man will go to his grave without knowing the truth surrounding the tragic death of his wife.
Alf Mowat spent the last nine months tirelessly fighting for the facts, after his beloved wife Josie fell 30ft to her death from a window at Queen Margaret Hospital in Dunfermline last November.
The former art teacher has died after a short illness but continued asking for information to the very end.
”He was a broken man,” said his grieving daughter Karen.
Speaking exclusively to The Courier, she added: ”He had cancer but he died with a broken heart.
”He was never the same man. He could’ve accepted it if mum had passed away during an operation; it is still horrendous but he could have grown to accept that.”
Now his devastated family, who are planning his funeral service for the same church where they said their farewells to their mum, has pledged to continue his quest to find out all they can about the hours leading up to their mother’s tragic end.
Karen said: ”Dad kept saying: ‘If I can just hang on to find out,’ but he’s gone and still we don’t know.”
Josie, a mum to Karen and her brothers David and Richard and grandmother of seven, was in hospital after undergoing major surgery after being diagnosed with bowel cancer.
Recovering well, Josie, who was well known in racing greyhound circles, was moved from the high-dependency unit to another ward where she was counting down the days till she was allowed home.
On his final visit, Alf was concerned about his wife’s emotional wellbeing. It was to be the last time he saw her.
During that night he was called to say Josie had suffered a fall. She succumbed to her terrible injuries in the hours that followed.
Describing the ”irreplaceable void” at the centre of the family, Alf steadfastly clung to the faith that official investigations would uncover the truth of that dreadful winter evening.
”He was driven to get answers until the end but this caring and realistic man died not knowing. He refused medication because he wanted to be alert if information became available,” Karen said.
Alf, who with Josie had returned to his native Scotland to spend their retirement, had put up a determined and brave fight against cancer but died only weeks after being diagnosed.
Karen, who lives in Essex, was able to be with her dad at the end but her two brothers only made it as far as Scotch Corner as they raced to be with him in his final hours.
Supported by aunt Sylvia Carrie, Karen added: ”It’s heartbreaking. We haven’t gotten over my mum’s death.”
Karen will continue his legacy. ”He kept saying: ‘Do not let it eat you up’ but I want to do everything in my power to get answers.”
NHS Fife Chief Executive John Wilson said: ”NHS Fife wishes to express sincere condolences to the family of Mr Mowat.
”We were made aware of Mr Mowat’s ill health in the week prior to his death and, whilst our interim findings from investigation were subsequently concluded, it is with regret that these could not be shared with Mr Mowat prior to his death.
”The interim findings have been made available to the procurator fiscal whose investigations, as we understand it, are ongoing.”