The Duncans’ Christmas Newsletter 2002

The following is a letter from Rorie Duncan's family. If you wish to contact the Duncans please email or call Marie-Clare McMenemy, Secretary, Worth Old Boys' Society, Tel: +44 (0) 1342 710241.

I write this letter whilst admiring the view from the Prestons’ flat in Bowness on Windermere. My legs remind me that we’ve just returned from a demanding walk up Helvellyn, which had its first dusting of winter’s snow. It was bitterly cold up there and the wind made it difficult to stand.

2002 dawned full of promise for us. Rorie was well established as a Logistician with Médecins Sans Frontieres (MSF). Having survived demanding tours in the Sudan, West Timor and Sierre Leone, he was posted to Russia in February to support a project in the Caucasus. Hannah was making excellent progress in her second degree at Oxford Brookes and Zoë was embarking on her career as a Civil Service ‘Fast Streamer’ in the Ministry of Defence, with Ben, her husband, also going from strength to strength in his job in London.

Just after Easter Toni and I went to visit my Aunt Olive at Port Erin, Isle of Man for a memorable week and then, in late July/early August we visited Rorie in Moscow for a fascinating and happy two weeks’ holiday. The timing could not have been worse for Rorie, as he had just been promoted to be the Project Co-ordinator of MSF Holland’s operations in Ingushetia and Chechnya and was extremely busy. Yet he never made us feel a burden and even found time to accompany us to St. Petersburg with Marina for a long weekend, and also to arrange a marvellous 4-day cruise for us on Lake Ladoga for when he and Marina had to return to Moscow. Lake Ladoga is the largest lake in Europe and is famous for the ‘Ice Road’ that the Russians built across it in the winter of 1941-2 to provide a lifeline for the besieged city of Leningrad, as St. Petersburg was then known.

We ended our holiday with a few days back in Moscow, the highlight of which was our final meal with Rorie, at the newly established Mongolian restaurant, conveniently situated near his apartment.

Barely 4 weeks later, on 1st September, Rorie collapsed with heat stroke whilst running in the Moscow Marathon. We will never know why, especially as he was extremely fit, had been training hard for 6 months in preparation for the event and was not trying to break any records. Within 24 hours his condition had stabilised and he was flown back by air ambulance to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford. Initially he made good progress, but suddenly septicaemia took hold and overwhelmed him. He died peacefully on 4th September after a typically valiant struggle: R.I.P.

Rorie’s funeral at Worth Abbey was a truly fitting tribute to a remarkable young man. The Requiem Mass conducted by the monks at Worth was spiritually uplifting and all-inclusive. It was attended by an international gathering of upwards of 400 people from all over Britain, and as far afield as Russia and Australia. Representing all ages, a wide variety of walks of life, ethnic groupings and religious beliefs, they were united in paying their respects to their friend and supporting us, his family; a true reflection of all that Rorie stood for in life. This was an inspirational event and reinforced our belief that we were really privileged to have had Rorie as our son, brother and best friend. His musical talent lives on in his CD and will give us lasting pleasure.

Hannah, Zoë and Ben, and Marina have borne this tragic blow with commendable courage. They and we have been wonderfully supported by our friends and family and our extended families of Worth, the Regiment and MSF, plus Rorie’s own marvellous friends. We can also take solace in the fact that Rorie is now re-united with his beloved brother, Alex. With theirs’ and your help we will put this sadness behind us. Rorie would have expected and wanted nothing less. We have not been able to write to thank all of you who have reached out to us with your letters, cards, flowers, loving support and Masses. We feel greatly blessed and thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

We will celebrate Christmas in the certain knowledge that we remain a united family, with the two boys, as always, simply rushing ahead of us in our journey through life. Thus we have the confidence to wish you a Happy Christmas and the best of good fortune in the New Year.