A Highland mum says her son Reece Mitchell’s 10 years of life – living with a rare illness – were filled with laughter and love. Reece’s mum Donna, 50, said when her son died last Friday, it was on a sunny day in a garden with those who loved him most right beside him. Reece, from North Kessock, near Inverness, died after a five-year fight with Batten disease.
The incurable genetic disorder affects the nervous system and causes children to experience uncontrollable seizures, dementia, loss of mobility and difficulty with speech. Donna gave up work to be Reece’s full-time carer for the last five years of his life. She believes this life may have come to an end, but Reece will still be “causing chaos” in his next one and is now “free from pain”.
Despite Reece living such a short life, Donna said he had squeezed “so much into it”. The youngster, who was loved by all who knew him, was keen on cars and “nee naws” his name for police cars and fire engines. Reece has two older sisters, Courtney and Alexandra.
Donna said: “He stole the hearts of everyone that knew him, with his cheeky smile. “He was my third child and my only boy. “He was a happy boy.
At the age of three, he was diagnosed with autism, his speech was delayed and you know as a mum that something was not quite right.” After suffering from a seizure, he was sent for further tests. In 2018 he was diagnosed with .
It was a devastating blow to Donna and her family. “But from that day I pr.
