A young Moray boy who had to cope with his mum’s death and his dad being seriously ill has been awarded a medal by a military charity.
Seven-year-old Harrison Cooney and brother Seth, four, have had a tough year to say the least.
In September 2022, their mother Victoria passed away at the age of just 43. What started as lung cancer spread to her brain, bones, stomach and ovaries.
Just weeks later, dad Paul, 36, came down with pneumonia. He was hospitalised for almost two months, first at Dr Gray’s in Elgin, then Aberdeen Royal Infirmary when his condition deteriorated.
With no-one to take care of Harrison and Seth, Paul’s mum rushed up from Manchester to look after them until he recovered.
Harrison, a pupil at Kinloss Primary School, had a hard time dealing with his emotions.
Less than a year later, however, he is thriving, a turnaround for which he has been awarded Little Trooper of the Month by military children’s charity Little Troopers.
‘Sometimes people get ill and they go and live in the sky and watch over us’
Dad Paul, a training instructor at the military barracks in Kinloss, told the P&J the family’s harrowing story, about his pride in his children’s resilience, and dealing with the hand that life deals you.
As his wife’s cancer spread, and while obviously hoping for the best, Paul was open with the boys and prepared them for the worst.
“They knew she had cancer. We said all along that she might not get better.
“We’re not religious people but we tell them that she’s in the sky and she’s watching down on them. And just that it’s something that happens, sometimes people get ill and they go and live in the sky and watch over us.”
Still grieving mum when dad becomes ill
But Paul didn’t have much time to help Harrison and Seth get used to life without their mum. The very next month, what started out as a sore throat and a temperature soon became more serious.
“The boys were still in a bad place emotionally, and they didn’t know what was happening with me.
“Initially they were staying with some friends. All my family live in Manchester, so my mum came up to take care of them until I got out of hospital a week before Christmas.
“We told them I was working away. If I’d told them I was in hospital, the worst thoughts would’ve gone through their heads after what happened to their mum. I didn’t want them thinking the same was going to happen to me.
“It’s fair to say they were pretty run down and stressed. Just not coping well, anxious, not doing well at school.
“My mum was constantly having to pick them up and take them out of school because the school had rung to say they were being disruptive.”
‘In the beginning Harrison struggled with anger’
Harrison’s nomination for the Little Trooper of the Month award – which came from a Ministry of Defence support worker at his school – cited his ‘strength, bravery and resilience’.
This is something Paul has witnessed first hand, from the dark early days to the settled, happy boy Harrison now is.
“At the beginning, Harrison was struggling with his emotions and his anger,” said Paul.
“He wasn’t doing very well at school, he was struggling being around people, getting very overwhelmed.
“From then to now, he’s a completely different person. He seems to have come out of it a better person in a way.
“It would obviously be better if he had his mum, but he just seems to have turned into such a strong character.
“He’s totally in control of his emotions, he’s a very caring boy who cannot do enough for me, his younger brother and those around him.
“He tries to be there for people at school, if they’ve been through hard times he tries to get them to talk about their emotions and tries to reassure them.”
Dad had to teach himself to cook and do the shopping – ‘Vic did all that’
In the space of less than a year, Paul has nursed his ill wife, been widowed, fought his own health battle, and become a single parent to two young children.
A hard load by anyone’s standards. But while the scars remain, time – and routine – is a great healer.
“You just make it work.
“Work have been really good, I just work school hours.
“I’ve had to teach myself to cook, shop, all that, because Vic used to do all the household duties. So it was like starting from scratch.
“I’m a pretty active person, I like to be out and about, that’s what keeps me going and enables me to be a good parent.”
‘His mum would be so proud’
Paul couldn’t hide his pride when finding out about Harrison’s award, and says it’s testament to how well he has recovered from the trauma of the last year, and his infectious positivity.
“The last nine months have been really hard for us as a family but Harrison and Seth have coped with everything surprisingly well.
“It’s the new normal, kids just adapt, they’re a lot stronger than you think. They just make the best of whatever situation they’re faced with.
“I’m so proud of them, just the way they’ve turned themselves around.
“Winning Little Trooper of the Month has brought a smile to Harrison’s face. His mum would be so proud.
“You obviously wouldn’t wish a child to lose their mother, but in a way it could be the making of him.”
Talking about mummy during circle time at school
Harrison was nominated for the Little Trooper of the Month award by Kate Homer, a Ministry of Defence support worker at Kinloss Primary School.
She wanted Harrison to be recognised for everything he has been through.
“Harrison has shown nothing but strength, bravery and resilience with such a loss in his life,” said Kate.
“I am incredibly proud of his kindness, compassion and empathy towards others. Even when he’s been going through the most difficult time himself.
“He talks about his mummy frequently in circle time and helps others to talk about how they feel.
“He is definitely a Little Trooper in our eyes.”
Conversation