Richard Branson, founder of Virgin announced the passing of his beloved mother. He revealed via his Blog that like a lot of people whose relatives and friends had lost their loved ones lately that he too was mourning as his mum Eve had also died from COVID-19.
Though the pandemic has wreaked havoc for many but most especially the elderly as they are more susceptible to the deadly virus, Branson’s mother was aged 96 years old also caught the deadly flu and did not recover from it.
According to Branson, Eve fought the good fight, managing to fight off the virus, but in the process had exhausted all her energy. Branson’s sister, Vanessa, and nephew Louis were with her until the end.
“Rather than mourn her loss, I want to celebrate her wonderful life, her tremendous spirit, the joy she brought to so many, and the love she gave us all.
“Mum was 96-years-old but had the same enthusiasm and energy she had when I was a boy. As for so many of us in these days of COVID-19, it feels so strange that the person who has always been there for us, with such zest for life, is gone.” Branson wrote.
In his tribute to his mother, Branson shared that his family was so lucky to have been raised by their mother and father as their parents. He wrote about how his sisters Lindy, Vanessa, and himself were instilled values of hardwork, of not taking oneself seriously, treating people how you wish to be treated, and entrepreneurship have lasted a lifetime.
“They showed us how family is the most important thing in the world and surrounded us with love and encouragement.
“My mum was a force of nature. She lived many remarkable lives. She took glider lessons disguised as a boy, enlisted in the WRENS during World War II, toured Germany as a ballet dancer after the war, acted on the West End stage, and worked as a pioneering air hostess on the treacherous British South American Airways routes. When I was growing up, she was always working on a project; she was inventive, fearless, relentless – an entrepreneur before the word existed.”
When Business Insider reported in the second quarter of 2020 that Sir Richard Branson was offering to put up his private island, Necker Island, as collateral to save his Virgin Atlantic airline from collapsing, little did he know that his mother who he owes his career will battle Covid-19.
“I am sorry to share that, sadly like a lot of people’s friends and relatives right now in these days of Covid, my mum Eve has also passed away. But rather than mourn her loss, I wanted to celebrate her wonderful life, her tremendous spirit, the joy she brought to so many, and the love she gave us.” – Richard Branson
Branson who carved a niche for himself by establishing the Virgin Group, which operates within many of the industries hardest hit by the coronavirus, including aviation, leisure, hotels, and cruises, shared an insight on how he started his company in the late Sixties from the sale of a Shamley Green necklace which was found on the road by his mom who was asked to keep it by the Police after three months when nobody had claimed it.
“She came up to London, sold the necklace, and gave me the money. Without that £100, I could never have started Virgin.” He wrote.
Branson recalled how the death of his father in 2011 was heartbreaking, but with his mother’s strength, they continued to grab life with both hands. He also described his mother – a Woman so full of life – bringing joy to those around her when she fills up her dairy daily to be out there organizing charity polo tournaments, firing the starting pistol to begin the Virgin Strive Challenge, or looking after her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, or actively helping others.
The legacy of Mrs. Branson will be the lives of women and girls she touched in the Atlas Mountains through The Eve Branson Foundation she started in Morocco when Branson was preparing for his global hot-air balloon challenge.
“My mum and dad went exploring while we waited for the right weather conditions to launch. They found the beautiful Kasbah Tamadot in the Atlas Mountains and they sat me down and told me they would not talk to me again if I did not buy it there and then. I think they were joking, but it did the trick.” He wrote.
Eve Branson was a teacher, a writer, a businesswoman, and most importantly the mother of Virgin – Richard Branson.