A MUCH-loved husband and wife who devoted their lives to caring for others have died less than a fortnight apart after contracting coronavirus.
Hefin and Valerie Williams, from Great Sankey, always had their front door open and spent their marriage dancing, singing and socialising.
This is how their family of four children, six grandchildren and 26 foster children want them to be remembered.
Hefin will be recognised by many in the community from his jobs as an Asda meet and greeter, Eagle Sports Club bingo host and Warrington Hospital help desk volunteer.
Valerie, aged 74, only retired last year from her role as a care assistant where she looked after the elderly in Warrington.
However last month, on March 12, Valerie began to show symptoms of Covid-19.
She started with a dry cough, a high fever and body aches which she managed with paracetamol.
The couple self-isolated but Val, who had no underlying health conditions, became increasingly fatigued and found her chest was getting much worse.
She was taken to Warrington Hospital on March 21 and in the early hours of Mother’s Day she was transferred to the intensive care unit and placed on a ventilator.
Eighty-year-old Hefin, who was diabetic, remained at home self-isolating and was not displaying symptoms.
Their son Marc told the Warrington Guardian: “We spoke to him every day on FaceTime and dropped anything he needed off on his doorstep.
“A week later I realised that he was unwell. After showing no previous symptoms he felt dizzy and fatigued and could hardly speak. We dashed around and spoke to him as best we could through the window.”
The same paramedic crew who had transported Val the week before now drove Hefin to hospital. He was placed on high-flow oxygen for 24 hours before being moved on to a ventilator in the early hours of Sunday, March 29.
Tragically, Hefin suffered multi-organ failure and his family were told by the consultant that he would not survive.
His treatment was withdrawn at midday the following day and he died shortly after.
Val remained in intensive care in a stable condition, unaware that her husband had died.
Hefin’s funeral was held on Thursday at Walton Crematorium. The funeral cortege passed Warrington Hospital, with both sides of Lovely Lane lined with NHS staff who applauded Hefin as he passed by.
Marc said: “It left us as a family overwhelmed and proud.
“We could only have immediate family at the funeral, all self-distancing, which was hard because under normal circumstances it would have been standing room only.
“The very next day we received devastating news.”
The consultant looking after Val told her family that staff had done all they could for her, but she would not survive. Treatment would be withdrawn that afternoon.
Marc added: “As you can imagine we were stunned by the news having only just said goodbye to dad.
“The hardest part of this whole situation is the fact that as a family we could not be together and be there for each other.
“Having to console each other and organise the funeral via FaceTime was heartbreaking for us all. Now it is something we will have to go through again.”
During this time of immense heartache, the family have taken some comfort knowing that their parents are now together.
Hefin Wyn Williams was born in June 1939 in Edern, a small village on the Llŷn Peninsula. Valerie Florence Mary Williams was born in November 1945 in Kensington, Liverpool, before moving to Huyton aged two with her mother Connie.
Both Valerie and Hefin were only children.
The couple met at The Ship Inn in Edern while Hefin was working behind the bar and Val was holidaying in the village, as she had done many times before.
Hefin quickly worked his charm and before long they were in a long-distance relationship.
He uprooted and moved to Huyton to live with Val and her mother and they were soon married at St George’s CE Church in Huyton.
The couple lived in St Helens for a while and had their first child Nicola but when Hefin was given an opportunity to work at Manchester Airport, they subsequently moved to Warrington.
They had two further children, Andrea and Marc. But with even more love to give they began to foster and over the following few years they fostered 26 children.
They gave each child as much love and affection as their own.
After they decided to stop fostering they were approached by the care service and asked if they could look after a 15-month-old girl called Sarah, being told it would only be for ‘a couple of days’ until they could find somewhere safe for her to stay.
That little girl became Hefin and Val’s fourth child after they officially adopted Sarah a few months later.
After the children grew up, Val went back to work as a care assistant for Warrington Borough Council. Hefin retired from the airport after 22 years, but remained active by taking a job in Asda Westbrook as a meet and greeter - a job that he loved.
Marc said: “He would speak to anyone and everyone and it was while working at Asda that a lot of people got to know him.”
Hefin also worked at Eagle Sports and Social Club, a place that was a second home to the couple. He became a committee member and bingo caller and would volunteer every year to play Father Christmas and hand out all the presents to the children.
Hefin then decided to become a volunteer helper at Warrington Hospital, and it was here that he spent his days on the front helpdesk doing what he and Val did best - helping people.
Andrea said: “They both loved to socialise with friends and dad liked karaoke, they loved to go out for coffee and cake and sit and chat to anyone and everyone.
“Mum and dad spent their whole lives helping others, they were the most selfless people you would ever likely meet.
“They loved their children, grandchildren and foster children, had time for all their family and friends, they left a lasting impression on everyone they met.
“Their door was always open, mum’s café was never closed, and dad’s taxis was always available, they loved, laughed, sang and danced their way through life!”
Yvonne Pickett, a lifelong family friend, has set up a fundraising page in the couple’s memory, with all proceeds going to the Warrington and Halton NHS Intensive Care Unit.
Andrea added: “We have been left devastated by what has happened, but we would like to thank all of the NHS staff that have played a part in caring for them in their hour of need, the paramedics, nurses, doctors, care workers, porters and to anyone else that assisted.”
“We would also like to thank, all our family, friends work colleagues and anyone else that has sent messages of support to us during this time.
“Our message is a simple one: Stay at home, protect the NHS and save lives.”
You can donate in memory of Hefin and Valerie Williams here.
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