Paul Gaskill will always be remembered as a kind and loving man who brought nothing but light into the world. Now, that kindness will be his enduring legacy.
Originally from Nottinghamshire in the United Kingdom, Paul tragically passed away in November 2025 at the PA Hospital, in his new adopted home of Brisbane, following a e-scooter accident just weeks earlier that resulted in a traumatic brain injury.
Now his loved ones are ensuring his memory lives on through the Paul Gaskill Charitable Trust, which is supporting four organizations close to Paul or his family in his honour. They include the Foundation, as our work supports the hospital that cared for Paul in his final weeks.
Paul’s mum Tracy Madge said the support and extraordinary care given to Paul and his family at the PA meant supporting the Hospital was an easy and natural choice.
“I can't tell you how fantastic the staff were. And bear in mind, I'm a nurse,” she said.
“A lot of my job in the latter part of my career was in what's called commissioning in this country. In my last role I was an Associate Chief Nurse and was awarded a British Empire Medal for services to Covid. During my career I commissioned services for head injuries, so obviously, we knew how catastrophic his injury was and how life-changing that could be.
“His chances of having a life that he would choose were not there. So, we had to make the most unimaginable decision that no parent should ever have to face., Paul went on to the palliative care ward from the ICU and he died on the 7th of November in his mother's arms .
“Ang, the Clinical Nurse Consultant and Anne the social worker were just outstanding, and all the staff, we just can't thank them enough.”
As well as donating to the Foundation’s annual Give Big for the PA event in September, one of the ways Paul’s loved ones are ensuring his legacy makes a difference for others is through special Never Alone bracelets. An idea that was born during Paul’s time at the PA.
“We've chosen four causes to support; end of life care at the PA Hospital. Nottinghamshire Hospice because they've given me and my family all free charitable counselling. East Side Boxing in Brisbane because he boxed there and he loved it. The Canal and River Trust who support young people to get into fishing as he was also a fantastic fisherman.
“The first thing we donated was Never Alone bracelets. When Paul was in intensive care, following his accident, his brother came over and obviously we were really distressed. My dad always had a St Christopher on his key ring. We're not particularly religious but when I was 18, he gave it to me and said, ‘it will keep you safe’. When I had Paul, he said, ‘when that lad gets to 18, you give him that key ring’. When Paul got to 18, I said, ‘ grandad wanted you to have this’. And he said, ‘mum, don't give it to me. I’ll lose it. Which he would have. He said, ‘give it to my brother’.
“His brother had it on his key ring and he brought it over for me and said when you get to Brisbane, will you give Paul grandad’s St Christopher and tell him it’ll will help him on his journey. I got it over to him, but what do you do with a key ring when somebody's in the ICU? So, I just put it with his belongings.
“His friend Hayley, who was with him the night before he had his accident, is a Macrame artist, she came to visit and we left them alone. I came back in and she said, I hope you don't mind, but the nurses have agreed that I can put this macrame bracelet on Paul's wrist. She said that it's pure cotton and it's washable and removable; the nurses have said yes.
“I told her about St Christopher and she said, ‘I think we can tie it on’. So, we tied it onto his bracelet, and it was powerful for me because it meant that I could go for a coffee, and it felt like I wasn't leaving him.
“I’d just say Grandad's got you don't worry, I'm just going to get a shower or get a coffee and I'll be back, you're never alone Paul. When he died, we took it off and gave it to his brother who still wears it now, I also wear one. It will always be a symbol of connection for us and every day when I put it on, I feel close to Paul. .
“I asked Hayley if the charity could invest in her to make them for PA and for the hospice here in Nottinghamshire. She's got her own macrame business, but she's set up a side arm, which I'm the founder of with his brother and Hayley. We also make the bracelets here in the UK, we put them in the assessment packs for end-of-life patients.
“So, when the nurses go and assess somebody who's end of life, they get a bracelet with a little card which tells them that they're never alone and tells them the story of Paul.
“We donated 50 bracelets to the PA which Hayley took in. They’re all given free and we provide all the materials through the trust.
“I have been able to get a Never Alone collective of volunteers here, we are making hundreds of bracelets, one for every single patient that is diagnosed at end-of-life and in the care of Nottinghamshire Hospice.
“We went to see the nurses in the hospice to ask how they’ve been received. I said, ‘I’m very practical. I know I'm emotionally connected to this. If you feel our $4,000 could be better spent, then we'll happily just donate the money for something different’.
“One of the nurses said that ‘I speak for everybody here, that this is really powerful for us because we have nothing to leave. When we're breaking bad news to people about end-of-life care, it's really nice for us to leave this inside the pack. One nurse told us ‘I did a night shift where a 36-year-old lady died, and I was able to give her husband one for her son the next morning means it meant so much to them
Losing a child is unimaginable and is an unbearable pain that no parent should endure but in setting up the trust in her son’s name, Tracy and her fellow trustees have found a way to channel the love they have for Paul into an impact that will touch thousands of lives in two countries.
“The wonderful thing about Paul, is I never in all his life heard him call anybody anything. He just loved everybody and he was just so kind,” Tracy explained.
“He was drunk on the joy of life. He was just the heart and soul of the party and was happy with a simple life filled with people. Tracy called him her ginger hippy in Oz because he had the most striking ginger hair and he didn't have a materialistic bone in his body, If I can bring some of his kindness to others, it will mean his legacy lives on and we honour him. He would be so proud. We were so proud of him; we loved him endlessly, and we were blessed to have had him in our lives. “
Never Alone Bracelets
You can read a blog about Paul written by his mum Tracy by clicking the download button on the right.
