Thousands raised as Bromsgrove mum with cancer dies in husband's arms

Jack Taft says he's been left "speechless" from support from the community following the death of his wife Mishka Taft, known by her middle name Amara.

Mrs Taft was only given a year to live after being diagnosed with cancer in May 2022. Thousands of pounds were previously raised in a fundraiser to help Mrs Taft make the most of the time she had left with her children.

Mr Taft says his wife of eight years died peacefully at their home in Sidemoor on Thursday, November 21.

Amara, Jack and their children Nina and Chloe at a theme park (Image: Jack Taft)

Now, the Bromsgrove community has come together to raise almost £9,000 to help with the cost of her funeral arrangements.

Mr Taft said she was his "soul mate" and a "devoted mother."

He said: "She was given up to 12 months "at best".

"At the time we had two children who were four and three years old. Chloe and Nina are now six and five years and are thriving.

"Her love for our family drove her far beyond. She fought like hell.

"She was such a devoted mother. I was very lucky".

"She died in my arms. It was very peaceful.

"She seemed to choose the one hour in the day when we were guaranteed to be alone".

Amara and Jack before she was diagnosed with cancer (Image: Jack Taft)

He believes that the extra months will mean their children will remember her.

"I was so devastated they wouldn't be able to remember her at such a young age", Mr Taft said.

"Those extra months - they will remember her now".

Mrs Taft, originally from America, met her husband playing the online game Travian and started chatting through the online forum before messaging on Skype.

Mr Taft said: "The moment I spoke to her on the chat I just had this voice inside me saying 'I need to marry this girl."'

He has thanked members of the public, including Finstall First School, Catshill FC and local comedian Fat Theo, for rallying behind a new fundraiser in honour of Amara. People can donate to the fundraiser via GoFundMe.com.

Amara at home with her children (Image: Jack Taft)

He added: "I now have one last dying wish to fulfil of Amara's. She wants a place our daughters can visit locally in Bromsgrove, to help process their grief for their later years, to know where their mommy rests.

"Whilst we did very little funeral planning, she was very clear on one detail - she did not want a cremation. She wanted a burial funeral.

"The only issue is this comes at nearly twice the cost of a cremation. As hope was what we lived on, we never once approached funeral planning to understand costs ahead of time, it was too upsetting for her, and for me to ask her.

"It has come as a shock to me to say the least how much it costs in the UK to bury someone, a process I'd been lucky enough never to have to go through before".