Rutherglen writer shares hope with others through experience of her brother’s final journey

A Rutherglen woman’s account about her experience on the day her brother died has been published online as a story of hope. Dorothy Connor was asked by the Scottish Book Trust to submit 1000 words for Scotland’s Stories of Hope 2024. The former journalist is a long-term supporter of their work and has sent stories and poems to them before.

Her brother John Douglas Connor, who was known to all in the family as Douglas, died suddenly three years ago, and while Dorothy wasn’t with him physically when he died she is convinced there were signs all around that connected the siblings in a shared experience. Those signs, too many to be coincidences, are documented in Dorothy’s story – Travels In Time and Space – which recalls the fine details of that eventful day, including specific times that would turn out to be of particular significance.

From the opening line in the story, time plays a key part: “There was something wrong with time. I looked at the clock and five minutes later, hours had passed. It had been happening for a few days.” From a dream the night before to the last message she received on her phone from her brother that day, to the police officer arriving at her front door to break the tragic news, and what happened afterwards, it’s all laid bare in Dorothy’s account of that eventful day that is etched on her memory.

“My brother was a real stickler for time-keeping,” said Dorothy. “I thought that if ever there was a story of hope it is what happened on that day in 2021 when my brother died very suddenly.

“It is an inspirational story of hope that springs from a day of personal tragedy and loss for Dorothy back in August 2021. It is also an experience that with hindsight she says was “wonderful”.

Earlier this year Dorothy donated a storytelling “throne” chair and a collection of children’s books to Rutherglen Library in honour of her brother on the third anniversary of his death. John had supported his sister as she had received treatment for cancer, travelling with her too and from hospital, and Dorothy also touches on these shared moments with her brother.

The Rutherglen writer and historian still finds it difficult to speak about the events of the day he died and the experience but hopes writing about it can help others who lose a loved one. She continued: “My hope is that perhaps other people will be reassured that however dramatic, difficult or unexpected a death may be, the experience will be a peaceful and even joyous one for the loved one and that there is life after life and we will all be reunited once again.

“I truly believe that my brother, who was not religious, was sharing his experience with me, telling me that there is nothing to fear. It was a wonderful, life-affirming experience for me. He was with me every step of the way on my cancer journey and wanted me to be with him on his last journey home. Everyone I have ever known who has died, talked beforehand about ‘going home’.

You can read Travels In Time and Space on the Scottish Book Trust website under Scotland’s Stories 2024.”

**Insights and Summary:**
Dorothy Connor’s poignant story highlights the interconnectedness between loved ones even beyond death. Her account of the day her brother passed away serves as a beacon of hope amidst tragedy, offering solace to others who may have experienced loss. Through her detailed recollection and belief in a universal energy that binds us all, Dorothy’s narrative resonates with readers on a deeply emotional level. The act of sharing such personal experiences not only honours her brother’s memory but also provides a comforting perspective on life and the afterlife for those grappling with bereavement.