Great-grandmother, 71, completes charity skydive at 13,000ft in memory of ‘loving’ son who died after alcohol addiction

A 71-year-old great-grandmother has completed a charity skydive from 13,000ft on her birthday in memory of her “loving and caring” son who died after long-term alcohol addiction.

Miki Davies, a former nurse and teaching assistant from Great Cornard, Suffolk, took the plunge at Beccles Airfield on Saturday September 21 – a “special day” which was her 71st and would have been her late son Tom’s 44th birthday.

He died on July 4 2019 in London, aged 39, after long-term alcohol addiction and, according to Miki, potential drug use – and she described his death as a “huge shock”.

She was inspired to take on the skydive – which involves plunging to earth at speeds of more than 120mph, according to UK Parachuting – after her grandson Joshua’s partner Carmen completed a charity skydive.

While friends and family, including Miki’s husband Roger, 75, called her “mad” for wanting to jump out of a plane, she said she was not nervous and described the skydive as “brilliant”.

She wants to raise £2,000 or more for Emmaus Hertfordshire, as Tom had received care and support from the homelessness charity before he died.

Miki, who has five grandchildren and one great-granddaughter, told PA Real Life: “The only time I felt a bit iffy was when I was on the edge and jumping out, but there was no turning back.

“There was the rush of the air and it was very noisy before the parachute went up, but once you pull the cord, it goes silent as you’re floating and looking around at the scenery, the fields, and the sea.

“It was just brilliant and my friends and family – including Tom’s son Owen, Carmen, my great-granddaughter Sienna, and my husband Roger – were all there and they were proud of me.”

Miki described her late son Tom as “loving and caring” but said he had “a struggle with life”.

He was born with an extra Y chromosome – which can cause learning disabilities and behavioural problems such as impulsivity – and she said he was often “hyperactive”.

She enjoyed taking him fishing during his childhood and they celebrated the same birthday, with Miki baking caterpillar and hedgehog-themed cakes when he was younger, but she said he generally “found it hard to settle”.

“He loved his son Owen, and he loved us, but he left home early (when he was a teenager),” Miki explained.

“We saw him on and off because he got mixed up with the wrong crowd.”

Miki said Tom worked as a chef in kitchens and she believes he started drinking alcohol during his late teens.

After getting involved with “the wrong crowd”, she said he could not “get out of that” and his addiction worsened.

“His alcohol addiction happened when he was chefing – they’d go for a drink and whatnot,” Miki said.

“He went to rehab a couple of times and he’d come out, but then he’d always go back to the same crowd.

“It was difficult and he didn’t live with us then… and sometimes we lost contact with him.”

On the day he died, which is “all very hazy”, Miki explained that Tom had travelled to London with a friend and she believes potential drug use led to his death.

Although she understands his death was most likely “painless”, she said hearing the news was “a huge shock”.

“In the back of my mind, we’d always been expecting something like this to happen because of his lifestyle and the way he was, and the company he kept,” Miki said.

“But it was a huge shock for all of us and we miss him dearly.”

Before his death, Tom had been a resident at Emmaus Hertfordshire’s St Albans community, where he received care and support.

The charity supports people who have experienced homelessness by providing a home, tailored support, companionship and work opportunities within their social enterprise.

Miki supported Emmaus last year on her 70th birthday, raising £900 by asking for birthday donations, but this time she wants to more than double her previous fundraising efforts, with a target of £2,000 for the skydive.

She got the idea after her grandson Joshua’s partner Carmen completed one at the same airfield to raise money for Ipswich Hospital’s neonatal unit.

Miki said: “The staff were so good that Carmen wanted to raise money for them, raising over £1,000. Whilst watching, I thought, ‘That looks good!’, so I thought I’d do it too.

“My husband bought the skydive for my birthday as a present, so I thought I would fundraise for Emmaus Hertfordshire again.”

Miki’s hobbies and pastimes include yoga, Pilates, reading, crafting and gardening, but she said she enjoyed doing something outside her comfort zone for the jump – and to commemorate her son’s life.

She said: “I was thinking about Tom and saying happy birthday to him as I was floating down.

“For anyone else considering a skydive, I’d say just go for it.”

Gemma Beckett, business development manager at Emmaus Hertfordshire, said: “A huge thank you to Miki who is very brave to be doing a skydive at 71.

“She’s such an inspirational woman and a fantastic supporter, having dedicated her and Tom’s birthday to raising money for us every year for a long time, asking for donations in lieu of cards or gifts.

“It means so much to us that Miki is supporting us in memory of Tom, who was a much-loved member of our community and so sadly missed.”

To donate or find out more, visit Miki’s fundraising page here: gofundme.com/f/mikis-skydive.