Two days after their 54th wedding anniversary, Pamela Partridge’s husband Michael was killed by a drunk driver, and she states, “My life will never be the same.”
“I still keep the card he gave me at the side of my bed,” said Caerphilly county resident Ms. Partridge.
“I cannot discard that. It is the final card I will ever get from him.”
The 76-year-old was on his way to a park to meet her and their grandchildren when he was struck by a van driver who had consumed 1.5 times the legal limit of alcohol.
Matthew Clemo, 51, from Bedwas, was sentenced to eight years in prison in April after pleading guilty to causing death by reckless driving on Pandy Road on September 25.
Ms. Partridge of Bedwas remarked that her husband’s passing had “broken my heart and saddened our family.
“It has also affected those who witnessed the accident, which was so horrifying.
“I hope those individuals have received counseling.”
Gwent Police has been conducting a nationwide crackdown on drunk and drugged driving this summer.
During one weekend in July, 12 people were arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol or narcotics, according to the report.
In the 12 months from August 2021 to July 2022, its police detained more than 1,000 persons on suspicion of motoring offenses involving driving under the influence of alcohol or narcotics.
“This demonstrates that far too many continue to take risks,” says Superintendent Mike Richards.
This is unacceptable
In the past twelve months, our officers had to attend to 19 fatal road traffic crashes and visit parents, siblings, and friends to deliver the tragic news that a loved one had died.
Mr. Partridge was well-liked and well-known in his community since he was a longtime steward at Bedwas Rugby Club.
Additionally, the former steelworker was an active member of the Caerphilly Male Voice Choir.
Ms. Partridge has founded a road safety campaign group in her community to increase road safety and awareness.
“When you lose a companion of nearly sixty years, your entire life changes,” she added.
“God forbid, I’d never want to lose a child, but I had no idea how difficult it was to lose a spouse after so long.”
Ms. Partridge stated that although she thought she needed to “move on,” she could not “let people forget what happened to Mike”
She remarked, “I can almost hear him saying, ‘Pull yourself together and move on – that’s life.”
“Mike was like this. He would have been extremely unhappy with the driver, I am certain.
I am uncertain as to whether he would have forgiven him.
You make a decision
She continued, “When I consider the children, I feel distressed. They have lost a wonderful granddad.
“To think that Mike spent his life so perfectly, just to be slain by something so inconsiderate.
“Because no matter what you do, you make a decision.
“You choose whether to operate a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
“We all make decisions, and [the driver] that day made a very poor one,”
