Grieving widow would visit the same tube station every day for over 17 years — just to hear 3 words from her late husband
There are many ways to remember loved ones who have passed away, but they still fall short when compared to the person’s life and presence. Nevertheless, having love and grief for the person, we do whatever it takes to revisit even the smallest memory. An elderly widow named Margaret McCollum found solace in revisiting her husband’s memory by listening to a tube station announcement, per My Modern Met. Oswald Laurence was one of the voices behind the announcements at one of London’s tube stations. When he passed away in 2007, McCollum never stopped visiting with the hope of hearing his voice.
The woman arrived at the station for 17 years every day so she could hear her husband’s voice in the simple 3-word announcement — "Mind the Gap." “I often used to wait for the next train so I could listen to his voice again,” McCollum recalled, in an interview shared by Paulo Black on YouTube. “Suddenly, one day, it wasn’t his voice. I said to my friend, ‘What happened to Oswald’s voice?’ Maybe the tape had broken,” she added. McCollum went through a rollercoaster of emotions. “I felt slightly panicky and a bit anxious,” she said. She then spoke to the staff and learned that they had changed the voice behind the announcement.
“I was completely beside myself. I thought, ‘This is dreadful. What am I going to do? I can't hear the voice',” she said, per Channel 5. To others, it was just a recurring announcement that might not even be paid attention to. But to McCollum, it was a part of her, it was part of her love. It was a thousand memories replaying with that very announcement of just a second or two. The woman didn’t lose heart. She went to the staff of Transport for London and requested them to put back the original voice for the announcement. She also took time to share why it was so special to her. “She told me that they had a new PA system with a new voice and yes, they didn't like it either and they couldn't hear it. I rang and spoke to a person and I explained the reason why I had an interest in the announcement and asked if they could restore it,” McCollum explained.
They assured her that they’d try to get her a CD with his voice and, if possible, also put it back as the announcement. “I didn't hear anything for two weeks and then customer relations contacted me, a very nice lady by phone and by email and said we have managed to do a CD and we are trying to get the voice back,” the elderly woman remarked. To her luck, the staff continued to play late Laurence's voice on the northbound Northern Line at Embankment station. As for McCollum, she is grateful to have continued to witness the bittersweet moment. “I love the fact that he’s back there and I can go and listen to him. It does bring him very close to me,” she said.
Holding a picture of her husband in her hand, McCollum shared how she reminisced about him all within that second of an announcement. Seated on one of the benches, as late Laurence’s voice echoed, saying, “Mind the gap,” McCollum fondly gazed at his picture, knowing he was at peace, soaking in all the love. @koyama9575 said, “How can a person be loved so much!” @Alext165 added, “What a wonderful thing to do by reinstating his voice.”