DIY SOS viewers were left in tears after a mum-of-four revealed she was left with an uninhabitable home after her husband tragically died.
Lindsey McAuley, 39, from Kettering, Northamptonshire, met Shaun on a dating app in 2016 and the happy couple tied the knot three years later.
They had two boys – Leo, four and one-year-old Zac together, while Lindsey had two kids, Maisy, 16, and Hazel, 13, from a previous marriage.
Appearing on tonight’s episode of BBC One’s DIY SOS, Lindsey recalled how she and Shaun planned to build their dream home…only for their hopes to be shattered in the cruellest of ways.
She explained how they were planning on getting a builder in to do the shell of the extension, but to save money Shaun was going to fit the interior.
“He couldn’t wait to get started,” Lindsey recalled.
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The plans eventually got underway last September, but Lindsey told how they were mid-way through the renovations when Shaun fell ill.
“He just started off with a urine infection and then a little bit of pain in his lower back,” she said.
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“When he first went to the doctors he felt OK. Then they found this mass and it was about four days after they found the mass he started to get really severe pain and he ended up back in hospital.”
She continued: “At that point, we didn’t know what the mass was. A couple of weeks after that, we found out it was a really rare cancer.”
“It was just a massive shock because he was so well, and so fit and healthy. He’d never been ill before.”
They removed it and they removed a large part of his bowel so he ended up with a stoma, and they removed a kidney.”
Lindsey went on to say that shortly after Shaun had his operation, he was desperate to get home for Zac’s first birthday.
“He made it home and then a couple of week’s later it was Leo’s birthday, but unfortunately Shaun was in hospital for that,” she said.
“Leo visited him in hospital and unfortunately, that was the last time he saw him.”
Shaun’s cancer had spread to his lungs and liver and the couple were told that it was terminal, but that with chemo, he could have another 18 months or so.
However, a blockage in his stoma delayed starting treatment, the cancer progressed quickly and aggressively and just two days later, Shaun died.
“One of the last things he said was “sorry I’m leaving yo in such a mess,” Lindsey recalled.
She added: “It progressed so quickly. One of the consultants told us he’s never seen anything so fast.”
Presenter Nick Knowles was determined to give Lindsey the home she and Shaun had always dreamed of.
“Shaun served his country,” he said. “He set out to build this house for his family. He wanted to provide and protect.
“What we have seen is that everyone here is determined to pick up where he left off so they have a family home.”
Over the course of a week and with the help of local tradespeople, volunteers and some of Shaun’s old army friends, the stunning transformation was complete.
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Delighted with the results, Lindsey enthused: “”It’s an absolutely beautiful house.”
“Shaun would be absolutely blown away by how beautiful it is. He would have loved it. It’s open, airy, comfortable and cosy.”
And unsurprisingly, fans were left in tears following the episode.
“Inspiring, amazing, beautiful and cryingly emotional – such a deserving family,” wrote one.
A second commented: “I’ve got tears streaming down my face.”
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A third added: “I’m in bits,” while another penned: “I lasted five minutes.”
Meanwhile, a further wrote: “Another fabulous build and what a beautiful family. I hope they have many years of happiness in their wonderful home.”
