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Mum's Fury: Son's Heart Kept in Tenerife After Death
28 Jan
Summary
- Mum heartbroken as son's heart kept in Spain after his death.
- Son died from head injuries in a Tenerife hit-and-run attack.
- Spanish authorities kept the heart pending investigation of his death.
A Merseyside mum has expressed profound grief and anger after her son's heart was retained in Tenerife following his death there. Harry Begg, 22, from Kirkby, died on December 1st from severe head injuries sustained in an alleged hit-and-run. His mother, Nicola Gardner, was informed by Spanish authorities just hours before his funeral on January 6th that his heart would be kept for further testing as part of a criminal investigation into his death.
Gardner described the situation as inhumane, stating that her son's heart remains "stuck in a fridge in Tenerife." She faced significant hurdles and expenses, including borrowing £5,000, to repatriate Harry's body, which arrived back in the UK on New Year's Eve. The Spanish coroner contacted her the day before the funeral to confirm the heart's retention, reportedly suggesting she "calm down" when she became upset.
Nicola Gardner is determined to bring her son's heart home and prevent other families from enduring similar distress. She struggles to grieve properly due to her intense anger over the situation. Spanish police have referred to Harry's death as a "criminal death," and an investigator indicated the heart was being preserved pending further investigation.
