A mum diagnosed with cancer two days after her son was murdered said that her priority was not her health but getting "justice" for him as his girlfriend was jailed for life.
Emma Walsh, 31, stabbed Gary Morgan in the heart at her home on Lavan Close in Everton, on April 10 this year and he died shortly after being taken to hospital.
And in a second devastating blow his mum Sandra Morgan found out that she had cancer only 48 hours after finding he had died, reported the Liverpool Echo.
Walsh was jailed for life with a minimum term of 18 years on Monday after a jury unanimously convicted her of murder.
Statements were read out on behalf of the victim's family, from Prescot, during her sentencing hearing.
His dad Jimmy described how his son "changed before his eyes" and became a "shadow of his former self" as he was subjected to regular domestic assaults.
The Morgans also urged anyone who has suffered from such abuse to seek help.
Mrs Morgan said in her statement: "Gary’s death has devastated our whole family, and words cannot describe our loss. Gary was a happy bubbly person who loved life.
"He worked hard and was trying his best to build up his business. He was only 36 years of age and had his whole life ahead of him.
"We are devastated to lose a caring and fun loving son and brother to domestic violence. Family was important to Gary, and he had a close relationship with all of us.
"Every night, he would ring me and tell me he loved me. This is something I will never hear him say to me again. The thought of this breaks my heart. I did not think that Sunday, April 10 2022, would be the last time I would ever speak to him.
"I never got to finish making memories with Gary, we had so much more to look forward to. I will never get to see Gary settle down or get married, and his two daughters will grow up without a dad.
"All I have left is my memories, which I will treasure forever, and his ashes which we have at home. I have a necklace which I always wear - I squeeze it to give me some comfort, but that is not the same as being able to give him a squeeze in person.
"I had to identify my son in the mortuary - I was not able to hold him or touch him, I had to look at him through a glass. I have always been there to comfort him but this time I couldn’t.
"Two days after Gary was murdered, I was diagnosed with cancer. I had my treatment, but my health was not my priority - my priority was to get justice for Gary, and I wanted to be at court every day as I did not want to let him down."
Sandra added: "Our lives will never be the same again, and there will always be part of us missing. We tried to give Emma the benefit of the doubt when we first met her.
"That was the biggest mistake we made. Had we have known about her past we would have done more to get Gary away from her, we did not know just how dangerous she was.
"Sitting through the trial and listening to what was really going on in Gary’s life was truly heartbreaking. No-one should ever have to listen to that, never mind a parent or sibling - we felt sick to the stomach hearing that she had stabbed Gary through his heart.
"We will never get over listening to the 999 call she made, knowing that our son and brother was dying in the background. We should have been celebrating Gary’s birthday on Saturday, October 15, as a family - we should have been able to give him his cards and presents, but instead we had to celebrate his birthday without him.
"Gary was cruelly taken too soon by Emma, who has shown no remorse for what she has done. We do not believe that the tears she has shed have been for Gary, they have been for herself because she had been found out.
"Domestic violence should not be tolerated by anyone, man or woman. If any good can come from Gary’s murder it will be for anyone who is suffering to seek help.
"Until we meet again, we love you Gary. Rest in peace."
