I was so sad to hear of Pete's passing, I send my deepest condolences to Ingrid, Paddy and Simone... Although I only met Pete a handful of times in my life, I knew how loved he was by my parents Prue and Said, and his annual Christmas letter became a real tradition in our house, something that we all looked forward to reading with as much enthusiasm as when we put Home Alone on the TV, or listened to 'Last Christmas' - in short, something that really got us in a warm and joyous spirit.
Allow me an anecdote, that I've enjoyed telling many times in my life. Pete came to stay with us once, when I must’ve been at the sulky introverted teenage stage of my life. I was probably on my 6th hour of the day playing Theme Park World on the computer, that sat in the corner our guest bedroom.
Pete walked in, tired no doubt from the long journey to visit us. Engrossed in the game, and being a miserable hormone-addled boy, I barely acknowledged him coming in. Pete, unflinching, decided that if I was fine to stay engrossed in the game and not even be polite enough to acknowledge a guest entering the room, then it would be fine for him to just get changed into a fresh outfit there and then.
Still silently absorbed in the game, I was suddenly jolted into life.
‘ED!’ Pete barked. I turned around to see Pete stood there in his underpants. ‘It’s about time you got off that bloody thing and went out and explored the real world around you!’
The shock and embarrassment I felt still makes me grimace. I quietly left the room, tail between my legs. He was absolutely right of course, and I think about that memory at least twice a year, usually around these cold winter months, whenever it’s been a bit too long since I’ve left the house. It's a lesson that lives long with me, and I hope to pass it on too.
I had a wonderful chat with him last Christmas over FaceTime where he was on great form, full of the same positive spirit he always gave us every Christmas in his letters - and I finished the call feeling inspired, reminded to always make the most of life, as precious as it is. I'm so glad I got the chance to speak with him.
He was a one of a kind.
