Timothy West died earlier this month, and his son, Samuel, gave an updated about his mother Prunella Scales, who was diagnosed with dementia in 2014
Timothy West ’s son, Samuel West, has opened up about how his beloved mum, Prunella, is faring in the wake of Timothy’s death.
Coronation Street and EastEnders star Timothy died at the age of 90 on November 12, survived by actress Prunella and their family, including great-grandchildren. Prunella was diagnosed with vascular dementia in 2014, with Timothy noticing signs as early as 2001, and Samuel hinted that Timothy played a major role in looking after his wife.
“We worked together 13 times, but I probably learnt more from Da about life than about acting. He taught me that enthusiasm was cool. He taught me that touring this country, professionally or otherwise, is beautiful and we should all do more of it. And he taught me to lean in and love life in all its detail,” Samuel, also an actor, said about his dad.
“He used to say: ‘Always do as much research as you can, because even if only ten per cent of it is useful, the more you do, the bigger the 10 per cent is.’”
Travelling was a huge passion for the family, with Timothy sharing his love of canal routes with his wife and children. Samuel shared that Prunella recently went on a cruise, and enjoyed “getting there” despite not knowing where she was during the journey.
“If there’s one thing that sums [my dad] up, I think it’s Great Canal Journeys, which made such a difference to the latter part of his and my mum’s life,” he added of the family hobby. When I’m on the canals, as the inheritor of his face and his eyes that disappear when we smile, I’m always asked by passing boaters to send their best to him and Pru.”
“He maintained that GCJ was about industrial architecture. We knew it was really a love story, tested by my mum’s dementia and seasoned with all the attendant scrapes and narrows and minor irritations of 61 years’ marriage, but held together by great cables of respect, companionship and love.”
After Timothy’s death, Alzheimer’s campaigner Angela Rippon opened up about how caring he was towards his wife after her diagnosis.
“I’m so saddened by that news because I think to everyone who knew them, it’s unexpected. And I think what the wonderful thing was about their relationship was that Tim was Pru’s carer and he grew into the world of dementia with her,” she said.
“He progressed in his knowledge of dementia as she progressed in the condition. And that’s why I think the programmes that they did together, the ones particularly on their barges, were wonderful. Because what Timothy knew you had to do with someone with dementia is not treat them differently…I actually had a journalist once say to me, wasn’t I embarrassed to be talking about the fact my mum had dementia? Tim was never embarrassed and nor was Pru about the fact that they were living with dementia. They just went on in ensuring that Pru was able to live well with her condition.”
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