My police officer mum was killed in front of me when I was eight years old
Olivia Lucas was on a fun day out shopping during the Easter holidays when her police officer mum was hit by a bus in front of her. She was just eight years old.
Her police sergeant mum Louise Lucas, from Llanishen, Cardiff, a popular serving South Wales Police officer, was hit as she crossed the Kingsway in Swansea with Olivia on a sunny March day in 2015. The mum-of-three was taken to Morriston Hospital with serious injuries but later died. Olivia had minor injuries.
Louise's funeral was attended by hundreds of people and her devastated fellow officers lined the street leading to Christ Church in Cyncoed, Cardiff, in a guard of honour. At the time, her commanding officer Peter Vaughan said she was a “great police officer who was universally respected”.
A decade on, and her daughter Olivia is a beautiful 18-year-old enjoying the first year of a sports and media university course at Swansea University, She is smiling, bright and confident, but it has not been an easy journey for her to get to where she is today. Get the latest headlines from around Wales delivered free to your inbox every day by signing up to our daily newsletter here
In pictures: The funeral of Louise Lucas
The teenager from Lisvane is also determined, and with the help of her proud dad and loving brothers, she wants her story to be an inspiration to other young people going through the toughest of times. Like her mum, who dedicated years as a police officer helping others, Olivia wants to turn the tragedy she has faced into something positive.
At the time of her death, a moving tribute from South Wales Police said: "Louise’s innate abilities as a police officer earned her the respect of all those who worked alongside her, and also the communities that she served so passionately."
With that desire to help others passed on to her daughter, Olivia has recently entered with Miss Wales competition with the aim of using the platform to help other young people who have gone through the loss of a parent. The family admit that it has not been easy to get to the point where they are today, and those events on that March day 10 years ago are still "raw".
In the weeks after the tragedy, the best way Olivia could cope was to blank out what had happened. It was the only way her mind could deal with the enormity of what had happened.
"It is something that is quite common," she explains. "The only way your mind and body can cope is to blank it out. But then that led to other issues. I was in Year 4 at the time and had been doing well in school but I suddenly developed dyslexia, had symptoms of post traumatic stress syndrome, and I was definitely OCD.
"I missed a lot of school for a bit, but there was a lot of support in school from my friends and the teachers and I have had hours and hours of counselling and I got through and now I am in my first year of university. Time does heal, but you don't just click your fingers and feel better."
Dad Gavin is proud of his daughter for that. "We have had our ups and downs over the past years, but we have worked through it together and I a really proud of all three."
Olivia has worked really hard to get where she is today, but the way she looks at her dad demonstrates just how strong the bond is that has got them all through together.
"I couldn't have done any of it without the support of my dad," she says. "And the support of my brothers Grant and Lloyd. My grandparents, friends and the local community have been great too but dad has been there for us all and been so supportive. On Mother's Day we always say thank you to him. Grant is a police officer too and has mum's number as part of his badge and Lloyd plays rugby. I have never missed any of his games, but dad has been our strength through it all. We just all want to make sure we are making our mum proud, and helping other young people is an important part of that for me."
Olivia is giving a talk next month to a charity who help families who have lost someone to cancer, and is keen to raise awareness of how there is support out there for young people who have suffered grief and loss.
"Once I get an idea into my head, I go for it," says Olivia. "It makes me feel better. I go to church with my grandmother, and there is a plaque in the foyer with my mum's name on it and seeing things like that help me to build strength.
"I still find some things difficult. Driving on the motorway scares me because the cars are going so fast and I can still flinch when I see a bus but the hours of counselling have been useful because they have helped me to understand what works for me and part of that is helping others. If that works for me, it will work for others. I would love it if other young people could look at me and see that I can still be happy despite what has happened, and that helps them."
Beauty with a purpose is at the heart of the Miss Wales competition and it was this slogan that persuaded Olivia to enter, even though she left it to the last minute.
"I was one of the last people to enter the competition this year, but I decided to enter because I want to empower young women to believe that they can go through the toughest of times but still come out the other end and be in a happy place," she says. "I understand how important it is to have support, and having the platform of Miss Wales to help others is important.
"I want to be a role model to young people who have suffered loss and I want them to believe no matter what they go through they are strong enough and you have got to believe in yourself and you can accomplish anything you want in life."