Wife was able to hold Ayr dad's hand as he lost his cancer battle

Victoria Williamson, 50, says she has lost her true love Kevin after he died on Thursday, June 18 at Ayr Hospital following a bleed due to incurable stage 4 cancer. He was just 49.

Kevin's family have been left heartbroken.

The heartbroken mum feels she was lucky to have a final moment with him due to months of coronavirus restrictions, with Kevin fearing his family wouldn’t be able to say goodbye.

But as Kevin passed away at the High Dependency Unit after receiving emergency surgery, he was not alone.

Victoria told the Advertiser: “In the end it all happened really quickly.

“I wasn’t allowed in with him at A&E. His consultant Sam is based at Ross Hall, so I had to leave him and sit in the car for three hours before someone called.

“They told me to go home and get some of his medication. When I came back, they said he was in resus, and a nurse took me to the family room.

“The doctor said if it’s an artery they won’t be able to stop it, but he’s got a 50/50 chance if it’s a vessel.”

Kevin's family brought him back home.

The couple had experienced the trauma of a bleed, a complication of the cancer which affected Kevin’s oesophagus. in the past.

In May last year, whilst enjoying a welcome break from treatments in Crete, Kevin suffered a major bleed which left him having to be brought home by air ambulance after a week in a Greek hospital.

Kevin needed 12 units of blood in the end, which proved too much for his body to take.

The team at Ayr Hospital allowed Kevin’s younger brother Brian to visit to support Victoria, as they rushed Kevin in for surgery.

Kevin battled cancer for two years.

She added: “Kevin was terrified, but I told him ‘they’ve got to stop it, you’re in good hands, you’ve got to come back to me’ – he promised he would.

Victoria told of her relief that lockdown restrictions were lifted and she was able to be with her husband to the end.

Victoria was with Kevin every step of the way through his treatment.

She added: “We are all in a living hell just now but if we couldn’t be by his side, I can’t imagine a worse end after everything we’ve been through.

“My heart breaks for people who have had to go through that.

“Not having a loved one holding their hand, I can’t imagine how soul destroying that would be.

“The nurses were wonderful, they allowed me to lie with him. I can’t tell you how much that meant to me.”

Victoria and the devastated family of Findlay, 17, Gaby, 19 and Poppy, eight, organised an amazing send off for Kevin.

The funeral cortege was greeted by friends and loved ones who lined the street after a private garden ceremony.

The businessman's Maserati was driven through the streets of Ayr.

Kevin’s luxury Italian sports car Maserati was driven along Racecourse Road from his home, with a police escort also arranged for the former cop.

Victoria who owns Beau Beau Boutique in the town’s Sandgate, paid a heartfelt tribute to a great husband and father.

She said: “He was my soul mate, we had been together for 28 years. He was the complete love of my life.

“I took every step with him, every single step. He’d have done the same for me.”

“You never give up hope, we thought we’ll get our miracle, but we never did.”

“He was just a great guy, a great husband, a great friend and a great businessman. He was thought of so highly.

Mourners lined the Racecourse Road to pay their respects to Kevin and his family.

“The outpouring of love for him has been overwhelming."

After the funeral, Victoria thanked all the people who stood to pay their respects. 

She added: "It was unbelievable the amount of people that lined the street was so moving none of us expected it with a full escort front and back from the police. 

"That speaks volumes on how well thought of and how wonderful my husband truly was."