December 24th 2023.
The Christmas episode of The Repair Shop left viewers in floods of tears as they watched the story of Jo Thomas and her beloved record player.
Jo arrived at the workshop with an 'extremely special' record player that had been given to her by her late son, Ben. He had bought it for her with his own money as music was a big thing for them and he loved it.
Jo shared fond memories of her son, who sadly died from cancer when he was only eleven. She said, "Ben was amazing. A very wanted little boy, let me tell you. And then, on his 10th birthday, he wasn't himself."
It was then that Jo had taken Ben to the hospital, where he was diagnosed with osteosarcoma. They did chemotherapy but it didn't work and the only thing left to do was to amputate his right leg up to his hip. Jo said, "He never once moaned and maintained a positive attitude."
That Christmas, Ben decided to surprise his mum with the record player. Sadly, weeks later, he was told that his cancer had spread to his lung and it was terminal.
The team at The Repair Shop were more than happy to help breathe new life into Jo's beloved Christmas gift. They totally transformed it, even adding legs as she finds bending over difficult due to arthritis.
When the finished product was revealed, Jo burst into floods of tears, along with Ben's dad Darren. For one last surprise, Jay and Mark brought out a record to show Jo what the newly refurbished player could do - it was, of course, Slipping Through My Fingers, Ben's favourite song.
Jo gasped in disbelief as she heard the tune playing and remembered her late son. She said, "I know that as soon as I sit down and I play that record, Ben will be with me. I'll feel him."
The Repair Shop viewers were also bawling as they reacted to the precious scenes. Social media users praised the episode and paid tribute to Ben and his family.
The episode of The Repair Shop was a beautiful way for Jo to remember her son Ben and carry on his memory. For anyone affected by cancer or another illness, Macmillan offers support and information. You can contact their helpline on 0808 808 00 00 , use their webchat service, or visit their site for more information.
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