| Location | Stockport, Cheshire |
| Age | 23 years |
| Date of Birth | 09/01/1969 |
| Date of Death | 18/02/1992 |
| Visitors | 2,957 since 11/10/2007 |
| Creator |
Debbie was christened Deborah Michelle Warburton, but we always called her Debbie. She was born on January 9th 1969, at home, after a swift bout of labour. Her umbilical cord, trapped round her neck, nearly choked her but she was healthy and much adored by her sister Beverley who was only 11 months old at the time. They were inseparable. Debbie was dark brunette and Beverley was blonde..
Sadly the relationship between their father and I became impossible due to physical and mental abuse and we were divorced on 27th November 1970. The girls unfortunately witnessed a lot of violence and upset which was unavoidable but over the years the three of us developed an extra-special bond.
In 1976 I was re-married to a man 9 years younger. He was only 19 when we met and I was 28. He was 21 when we married and became a much loved Dad to the girls. As they grew older we continued to have problems with their father, there was always a shadow behind everything. We had two children more of our own. Another daughter, Claire, in 1977 and a son, John, in 1983. Obviously we had problems with a step family situation but hoped we could get through it all.
Debbie was always on the go, she always had been. She had visited Heilbron in her early teens and climbed, canooed and ran. She even ran 7 miles for charity. She had part-time jobs at the local chippy, the pub down the road, a Saturday job at a jewellers and also played semi-professional hockey. She adored music, dancing and art.
Debbie had stormed out after a row in her late teens but we eventually made up again. She moved from home and then to Cambridge with her boyfriend. Our family were all still in Greater Manchester. She was living at a riding stables in 1988 looking after the horses and really doing what she loved.
Out of the blue we had a phone call to say Debbie had taken an overdose. Then it happened again and when we travelled once more to see her she admitted she had been taking drugs to keep her awake.
She got enrolled at a treatment centre and then in 1989 she decided to travel to Corfu to work at a stables there. We think she was trying to get away from the drug scene.
She returned to England having been upset by the treatment of the animals over there. But she had also started to drink which did not help. She had also discovered Ecstasy. She was convinced she had it all in control. It was this drug we are sure gave her psychiatric problems. She stopped using it, but the damage was done.
She was taken into hospital for tests and put on a strict diet. They gave her treatment but she suffered paranoia and hallucinations.
In December 1991 she caught a flu virus and became very weak and jaundiced. She had been living in a hostel in Manchester on her own but came to our house to stay.
One night she was in agony and was admitted into the psychiatric ward again. They heavily sedated her because she was screaming and keeping the ward awake.
When we visited her she was like a zombie. Shuffling up the corridor and then one day she suddenly slipped into a coma.
They rushed her for a CAT scan at another hospital where they discovered a grossly swollen brain. She was transferred back to Stockport into Intensive Care.
For 10 days she showed no sign of waking. We constantly visited and sat talking to her. On one visit I went with her God Mother and some water from Lourdes that someone had given me. We gave her the sign of the cross on her forehead and she opened her eyes.
I was so convinced she was coming back to us. She could not speak because of the ventilator but her eyes followed us around her bed.
Then we were called out in the middle of the night, they rang to say Debbie had begun to fit, they thought we should go as they were concerned she wouldn't have very long.
She died at 5.55am on Tuesday 18th February 1992.
We had her funeral at the Stockport Cemetry and were overwhelmed by the number of people who came. Her hockey team, friends from Church, my colleagues from the school where I was a Primary teacher, the young people from the Chippy and the pub. Also the girls from the hostel where Debbie had been living. So many people, spilling out of the crematorium because the was no more room inside. A real tribute to her. We played It's A Kind Of Magic because that had been played at an award ceremony when she returned from Heilbron. We also played Everybody's Free, that was her favourite song.
Since we lost Debbie life has been a roller coaster.
I ended up forced into early retirement from teaching following a stroke brought on by a reaction to anti-depressants. It drew me into a 2 year Campaign against drugs alongside another bereaved mother. We did a lot of media work. Stories in the papers and magazines. A Campaign in the local paper. Appearances on the television and talks on the radio. We also went into schools and Colleges to talk to young people.
TCF - The Compassionate Friends - became my lifeline. They have always been there and most of our friends belong to TCF also.
Our family has never really recovered.
Each of our daughters and our son have been affected by what happened and it saddens me so much to know that they are the forgotten mourners. Everyone asks how we are and not them.
My mum died a year after Debbie. That passing was not the same.
I lost my faith in God and then found it again. However I am daily tested and it is impossible at times. I am back onto anti-depressants and since passing retirement age find myself so many times thinking about the would and shoulds that I could have considered. Nothing will bring Debbie back. We have her diaries and letters but they are bitter sweet reading.
But life still continues...
We have two grandsons now - Beverley has her son Lewis who's 8 on November 11th. She has her home, her family and works hard. Claire has her son Rhys who's 2 on October 18th. She loves to sing and hopes to do something with her talent one day. John is amazingly artistic and works alongside his dad. We still struggle on and take a day at a time.
We are thankful though for the time we did share, she always bought a kind of magic.
Music: Everybody's Free - Rozalla, Love Can Build A Bridge sung by sister Claire,
In Memory of your 42nd Birthday
Alot has happened since I last dropped in...
I have already told you about my son, Rhys. He is 5 now and has been in school since September. He knows who you are (well who the photo is of) and comments sometimes that he would've like to have met you...I tell him that you watch over us and you see everything he does and how tall and strong he has become. I tell him you see how clever he is and are always around taking care of us all.
Since the last time I was here though I have had a dughter, Jamie-Ann. She is adorable and 6 months old now. She was quite sick at first and I wished for your guidance many times in her first 4 months. She is much stronger now and despite all she has been through has never once not had a smile on her face. How she does it amazes me. I will put a photo in your Gallery.
I still think of you and I'll always wish you were here. Missing you. Love Always Claire xxx
18 years today Deb. No one has forgot...we all miss you and wish you could still be here.
Keep watching over us...I know you do :)
Love Always
xxx
Debbie's Birthday..
Remembering you today Debbie on your 'Snowy Birthday' with love and thoughts xx
Margaret & Family we send our love and will be thinking about you all today. I do hope you all have a better year..
Take care and much love to you all xxx
Frances, Mike and *Angela* xx
Your Angel Day
Today at 5.55am was your 17th Angel Day Deb and we have all been so apprehensive for days. It is always the build up of memories and flash backs that tend to haunt us. People expect time to be a healer and we should be 'over you' by now.We shall never be that because we exist in a time warp. What happened all those years ago will be forever in our minds.
I can never relax from the worry over your siblings and am constantly in fear that I will lose them too. As a Mum I blame myself constantly for not protecting you and keeping you safe. You had a unique relationship with each and every one of us and that will always be with us.
Today your nephew Rhys ended up in hospital with chronic bellyache and we naturally feared the worst. Your poor sister Claire was devastated and convinced that history would repeat itself and she would lose her son on your Angel Day. She had only just wept and said a prayer asking for his problem to be minor when a miracle happened and he was recovered in minutes...We had to laugh at the situation later but we are sure that you were there protecting him.
Tomorrow is Dads birthday and obviously it's the same as Bevs birthday on Valentines Day. We all miss that special person YOU and wish so much you could be with us.It's now close to midnight and your brother Johns just gone up to bed. I need to go too but wanted to leave a message of eternal love and special thoughts from all of us.....
Till we meet again
Love Mum x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
Michele (Friend)
17 Years Debs!! I can't belive it,
I woke up with you on my mind this morning and have been thinking about you most of the day
I still miss you so much and keep thinking about the last time i saw you in Stockport and how I really wish I had made some more time to meet up with you, something I regret so much now.
I often think about our friendship and would love to think we would still have been friends to this very day
I hope you are keeping an eye on me ever so often
Love you mate
Michele xx
17 YEARS TODAY
I still miss you, even after all this time.
You would have been 40 this year had you not left us. We celebrated Beverley's 41st birthday on Saturday, it was nice to have the real Bev for a day and the family together - even without you.
I wish you were here Debs. I wish you could see Lewis and Rhys growing up. They look at your photos and they name you but they'll never truly know you as a person. They'll never have you spoil them and tell them off lol.
I know that you will be thought of today. I just wish you were here to laugh with...and to cry with :)
It's hard to believe that so much time has passed. Hard to know that you never saw me drive, graduate, sing, love and lose and love again. You were not there to see my boy, though I believe you see him and watch him for me :)
I miss you so much.
You are always in my heart.
Love you
Cxxx
CHRISTMAS 2008
As another Christmas without you moves ever closer. I remember you by 'digging out' the last Christmas card you sent me in 1991, just so I can smile. Hard to believe this will be the 16th Christmas without you but I know that you are in my heart.
I wish you could be here to see your nephews open their presents. Our Bev's, Lewis, is 9 now and all he is really interested in is whether there's any cash in the cards - it's so funny.
My Rhys is now 3 and this is the first year he is actually asking for certain toys for Christmas - a piano, a lofty and a muck then he'll be quite happy.
We will all think of you often in the next few days.
Happy Christmas Deb. Miss You.
Love (your not so baby sis)
xxx
hi mrs warberton,was so sad reading what you have wrote,i remember debbie ,and bev ,they loved horses i remember they use to ride ,the horses on bells land where i used to ride ,i,know loosing someone you love aches your heart for ever ,i had to tell my son at the age of 6 that his died had died ,he died of drugs ,and we lost our cousion who died in a house fire a year ago ,so although i have never lost a child ,i understand the ache ,another christmas without her ,but i,m sure shes by your side ,sweetdreams ,godbless debbie xxx
Fathers Day
Hi Debbie, It's only mum passing by after the weekend of Fathers Day. You remember Grandad who loved you and Bev so much and had only just met your baby sister Claire.I know he will be holding your hand as he used to when we all went out walking in the hills around Buxton.
We got together on Fathers day and you were so much on my mind. Your nephew Lewis was asking all sorts of questions about you. He loves to 'tidy up' your flower plot at Church. We are also so grateful for friends leaving messages and candles. It makes us appreciate what good friends are. Thank you Scotts mum and dad and as always Michael and Francis.
Love you always Debbie xxxx
Remembering beautiful Debbie...
Sending love and thoughts to you Debbie, and hoping you have met up with our Angela..
I hope you both are looking out for the 'younger ones' which I'm sure you are..We send much love and also to your mum and your family who miss you so..
God Bless
Love Mike & Frances xx
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