Ross Parker died during a Sunday afternoon walk with his mother in Dorset (Picture: MEN)

A mother has released the final image taken of her son who died while saving her life.

Sam Ord shared the picture as she spoke about her hero son Ross Parker, 24, who had just ‘found his happy place’ moving from Leigh, Greater Manchester, to Dorset in September.

She went to visit him on November 3 and after lunch at the Seaside Boarding House where he worked they went for a Sunday afternoon walk along the beach.

It was low tide and there were other people on the beach, so they did not think there would be any problems.


But as they crossed a channel a wave hit the back of Sam’s legs, causing her to fall in the water.

Ross and Sam were close following the death of his father, Alex, when Ross was 10 (Picture: MEN)

She struggled to get up because the surface ‘felt like quicksand’. That’s when Ross’s instincts kicked in and he went to save her life.

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Sam said: ‘He was holding me down to stop me getting washed into the sea. He was knelt down with his knee on my chest and I’ve got bruises on my arms from where he was holding my arms.



‘Water was coming over us, in our mouths and noses, and I actually said to him “I’m going to die”. He said “no you’re not mum, you’re f**king not” and he started shouting for help.’

But then a large wave came and scooped them both up, sending Sam towards the shore but sweeping Ross out to sea.

A huge search operation was launched but Ross’s body was not found until the morning after.

Ross’s mother paid tribute to him saying he saved her life when she got stuck in sand (Picture: MEN)

His mum Sam said: ‘I don’t remember him going. I remember the water coming over us and him saying “I’m sorry mum”, but the next thing I remember is being flat on my back on the beach.

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‘I was in an ambulance as they searched for Ross and the doctor agreed to stay there with me as I didn’t want to leave the scene.

‘Up until about 6.30pm I was hoping they’d find him but when it got to that time I honestly got this feeling that I can’t describe – I’ve never had it before – but I knew he was gone.

‘For me, I think he went at half past six as I felt something die inside me.’

The only thing that is keeping her going is knowing that Ross gave his life to save hers.

As they crossed a channel a wave hit the back of Sam’s legs, causing her to fall in the water (Picture: MEN)

She said: ‘My first thought was I wish he’d let me go as he had everything to live for.

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‘But then I wouldn’t want him to be going through what I’m going through, so part of me wishes it had taken us both.

‘I know family and friends are worried about me, but I do realise that he lost his life saving me and if I was to do anything then I’d really be letting him down.

‘I thought I’d done all my grieving as I’ve lost my mum and dad and the last thing I expected was to bury my son.’

Paying tribute to her son, she said she and Ross were a team following his father Alex’s death when Ross was 10.

They were walking along a beach in Dorset when disaster struck (Picture: MEN)

Both Manchester City fans, they had enjoyed watching Vincent Kompany’s testimonial match together just the night before Ross left for his fresh start in Dorset, leaving his job at Tattu in Spinningfields to do so.

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She said: ‘I didn’t want him to go and I cried my eyes out when he did.



‘But he’d been working in the city centre, doing unsociable hours and spending all his money on taxis and he wanted something new.

‘Whatever he did he put his all into it and for anyone to leave home with just a bag of clothes and £20 in his pocket takes some balls.

‘He was loving it there. He told me he was smitten with his girlfriend and he said to me ‘mum, I know you didn’t want to make a life for myself down here, but I think I will end up doing – and you can come here when you retire’.

‘I truly believe he would have stayed there and I am glad that he managed to find his happy place.’

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