Reverend Richard Coles, a beloved contestant on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!, recently shared a haunting experience he believes to be a sign of his late husband’s presence. Richard spoke of smelling cigarette smoke at the bottom of the stairs, a scent that used to anger him when David was alive. Despite the eerie feeling, Richard expressed a mix of annoyance and relief at sensing David’s spirit around him. David, who was also a clergyman and nurse, passed away from liver disease in 2019, leaving Richard to grapple with profound grief.
In his book ‘The Madness of Grief: A Memoir of Love and Loss,’ Richard delves into the enduring memory of his late husband and the ways in which he feels David’s presence in their shared garden. The plants they tended together serve as a connection to David’s legacy, offering Richard a daily reminder of their bond. Additionally, Richard recounted encountering ghostly figures in his parish in Finedon, Northants, including a “grey lady and a black lady.”
Reflecting on these spiritual experiences, Richard mused about the persistence of the deceased in everyday habits and unconscious gestures. He described a poignant moment when he mistook a throw draped over the banisters for David, highlighting the fine line between reality and memory. Despite the heartache of losing his partner, Richard finds solace in the small reminders of their life together.
As Richard continues to navigate his grief and honor David’s memory, he remains open to the possibility of supernatural encounters and signs from beyond. The presence of his late husband, whether in the scent of cigarette smoke or the flourishing garden, serves as a bittersweet reminder of their enduring love and connection. Through his candid storytelling, Richard Coles invites readers to contemplate the mysteries of life, death, and the unbreakable bonds that transcend the physical realm.
