Overview
- Louis Lillywhite, now 39, says he still experiences flashbacks from the 2000 diving trip off Mexico when a speedboat entered a protected zone and killed his mother as he and his brother surfaced.
- A coroner found Kirsty MacColl died instantly from catastrophic head and chest injuries after being struck by the boat’s propeller, while Jamie Lillywhite suffered minor injuries.
- A boat worker was convicted of culpable homicide but avoided jail by paying a small fine, and the family maintains that no one was meaningfully held responsible.
- Louis says years of therapy have helped him cope with the trauma and even return to snorkeling, which he believes his mother would have encouraged.
- Commemorations continue with a new live mix of Fairytale of New York produced by Steve Lillywhite and a green plaque at the family’s former Ealing home honoring her legacy.