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Home / Lifestyle

Dad's 10 life lessons from tragic loss of three-year-old son

Daily Mail
28 Aug, 2017 10:21 PM3 mins to read

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Three-year-old Hughie Pringle, from Hastings, died last year following a brain haemorrhage. Photo / Facebook

Three-year-old Hughie Pringle, from Hastings, died last year following a brain haemorrhage. Photo / Facebook

The father of a three-year-old boy who died from a brain haemorrhage last year has posted a touching letter of the lessons he has learnt since losing his son.

Hughie Pringle, from Hastings, East Sussex, had a brain condition that carried a five per cent chance of bleeding.

Mr Pringle recently took to Facebook to commemorate a year since losing his son with a touching letter. Photo / Facebook
Mr Pringle recently took to Facebook to commemorate a year since losing his son with a touching letter. Photo / Facebook

His father, Richard Pringle, who has two other young children, posted the list titled 'The 10 most important things I've learnt since losing my son', to Facebook - and the emotional note is sweeping social media.

He reveals how important it is for parents to stop and make time for their children and to remember "you can never ever kiss and love too much".

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He told parents to take as many photos and record as many videos as humanly possible because "one day that might be all you have".

He also told them to cherish the simplest of things - because these are what he misses the most.

The father also urged families to keep a journal of all the little things their children do.

"Write down everything your little ones do that light up your world," he said.

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"We only started doing this after we lost Hughie. We wanted to remember everything. Now we do it for Hettie and we will for Hennie too."

Mr Pringle's post has been shared over 5,000 times on social media, with many supporters commending the father for his words.

His final lesson was for parents to remember how 'blessed' they are if they still have their children.

"If you have your children with you, to kiss goodnight, to have breakfast with, to walk to school, to take to university, to watch get married. You are blessed. Never ever forget that," he said.

Earlier this month, the father-of-three led a charity event to raise money for an MRI scanner at Conquest Hospital in Hughie's honour.

The event, called Hughie's Supercare Saturday, saw a convoy of supercars line the streets of Hastings in memory of the little boy who 'loved cars'.

The event helped raise over £2,000 towards the hospital's appeal, and balloons were released to remember Hughie.

Giving a moving speech at the event, Mr Pringle touched on the tragedy that turned his family's life upside down.

"It's been a tough year for us since losing Hughie. But one key thing for us was to celebrate what he was all about," he said.

"He was only with us for three years but in those three years he brought us a lifetime of memories and happiness."
The ten most important things he's learnt

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1. You can never kiss and love too much
2. You always have time
3. Take as many photos and videos as humanly possible
4. Don't spend money, spend time
5. Sing songs together
6. Cherish the simplest of things
7. Always kiss those you love goodbye
8. Make boring things fun
9. Keep a journal
10. If you have children, you are blessed

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