As a mother of boys who love sport, I can't imagine what Virginia Hughes is going through right now. The overwhelming sadness and gaping hole in her heart, that will never heal quite right ever again.
When Mrs Hughes went to watch her talented son Phillip play cricket at the Sydney Cricket Ground last Tuesday, the only worries she may have had for him were probably about whether his team would win and whether he would play well enough to secure a position in the Australian side for the Test Match against India.
As a mother of competitive and vivacious sporting sons, I have spent much of their life getting them to and from training, rejoicing in their victories and nursing their wounds and egos from injury and disappointment. The same would be the case for Virginia Hughes.
There is much invested in any successful sportsperson by their families. Phillip's success did not come overnight; his Mum and family have been supporting him since he was a young boy. Thousands upon thousands of games that they have watched, kilometres that they travelled to and from games and training, meals to fuel his energy levels.
It would have been Phillip Hughes' 26th birthday on Sunday, the same day as my husband's. When our family and friends sang ‘Happy Birthday’ to him, I experienced a huge lump in my throat knowing that a fellow sporting mum is not singing happy birthday to her son on this day.
I hope Virginia and her family feel some comfort from the amazing support from Phillip's team and cricketing family. They have showed true sportsmanship and mateship from the moment Phillip was struck, and it will continue for the hours, days, months and years ahead that they will be needed for.
The same wonderful qualities are also reaching out to the other silent victim in this tragedy, 22-year-old bowler, Sean Abbott. We are aching for both these young men; one with great loss and the other to comfort and let him know that he did nothing wrong. We wish only the best for Sean Abbott and we all want for him to continue his promising cricket career.
The sporting community around the world has been touched by this terrible accident and the loss of a great man.
I have hugged both my sons today, just to feel the warmth of their bodies and life pulsing through their veins. Everyday we share together is a blessing.
Love to you Mrs Hughes and all your family.
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