The heartbreaking story behind an emotional restoration which brought viewers of TV’s Repair Shop to tears can be revealed for the first time.
Grieving parents John and Margaret Ivin were left overwhelmed after a secret message from their late son Chris was turned into a treasured memorial.
Viewers were told how Chris, who died aged 35 after a battle with cancer, had penned the handwritten note on wallpaper in their kitchen when he was aged just 14.
It was discovered behind a cupboard at their south-east London family home during renovation works.
But a section of plaster containing the message which had been carefully removed by builders crumbled into pieces after being handed to Margaret – leaving the couple believing the poignant memento had been lost forever.
The couple, who are in their seventies, wept after a specialist team were able to restore the message and frame it as a lasting tribute to Chris.
Now the Daily Mail can reveal that Chris had been a high-flying TV cameraman who had been living a dream life travelling the world covering major sporting events.
The talented technician started his career as a camera assistant recording videos of live music performances including AC/DC and Tina Turner as well as for comedians Eddie Izzard and Lee Evans at venues around Britain and Europe.
Viewers were told how Chris, who died aged 35 after a battle with cancer, had penned the handwritten note on wallpaper in their kitchen when he was aged just 14
The couple, who are in their seventies, wept after a specialist team were able to restore the message and frame it as a lasting tribute to Chris
The restored message received: ‘This is original wall paper!!’ It was dated 8th of December 1989
Chris went on to work as a freelancer for the BBC before landing a sought after job in Formula One providing coverage for broadcasters around the world.
But he was struck down by illness before being diagnosed with a rare form of testicular cancer in January 2011.
Chris, who was known as Milton to friends and family, underwent a series of gruelling treatments but died less than 18 months after his diagnosis on May 29 2012.
Despite his agony, Chris bravely recounted his fight with the disease in a blog called ‘Kicking Cancer in the Nuts’.
He gave moving and often humorous accounts of the ups and downs of daily life as he battled the illness with his parents and fiancée Inna – who he referred to as ‘The Russian’ – at his side.
Chris recounted endless trips to hospital and long train rides to northern Scotland where he underwent experimental mistletoe therapy treatment.
In one entry, Chris told how he had ‘still got my chin up’ while adding: ‘It’s not all beer and skittles, this ‘being off work for way over a year’ thing.
‘What I’ve got at the mo does have its drags, let me tell you. There are some very low days indeed.
Chris worked as a freelancer for the BBC before landing a sought after job in Formula One providing coverage for broadcasters around the world
Despite his agony, Chris bravely recounted his fight with the disease in a blog called ‘Kicking Cancer in the Nuts’
Just days before he died Chris wrote his final uncompleted entry in which he described attending a friend’s wedding followed by a two-night-stay at a spa hotel in Lincolnshire
‘The Russian and I call them bad cancer days.
‘It’s very upsetting to be back on chemo after such a long time of recovery. I know I was told things were bad again back in Feb, hence the trip up north.
‘It’s very sad to know that I’m back to not understanding my body and being very unpredictable about plans and seeing any of you guys.
‘The worst was to come. After being released from hospital there were times I couldn’t even muster the coordination to walk or climb stairs. Help was required on a permanent basis either from the Russian or my mum and dad.’
In another he wrote: ‘Every week I got a bit better but to be that reliant really took some getting used to. Eating, drinking, fetching the smallest things. Impossible. I really had to be waited on hand and foot. Sounds great? No way!.’
Just days before he died Chris wrote his final uncompleted entry in which he described attending a friend’s wedding followed by a two night stay at a spa hotel in Lincolnshire.
Announcing the heartbreaking news of his death John wrote to followers: ‘For all those people that do not know that our beloved son, Chris ‘Milton’ passed away 13.26 this afternoon (29-05).
‘He did not want to go, but when he did it was peacefully.’
Announcing the heartbreaking news of his death John wrote to followers: ‘For all those people that do not know that our beloved son, Chris ‘Milton’ passed away 13.26 this afternoon (29-05)’
Chris’s fiancée said he ‘was and will always stay in our memories as the funniest man the world has ever seen’
His fiancée completed his blog in the months after his death encouraging those who knew him to read them ‘again and again’.
In January 2013 she wrote: ‘This will be hard and tearful but do it, please, because by all of us doing it, we’ll remember Chris again and again, just as he was – wearing his humongous heart on his sleeve and loving life to its full.
‘By reading his blogs we’ll only get better and realise what life is all about – love and joy.
‘I am sure, each and every single one of you will take Chris’ name through your life. Please do. Talk to your friends about him, tell your kids about crazy Milton, show him as an example of eternal thirst for life and happiness to your friends and family.’
She added: ‘Chris was and will always stay in our memories as the funniest man the world has ever seen.
‘We missed him terribly this Xmas and New Year. Xmas, Boxing and New Year days will never be the same without his jokes and laughter.
‘He left a massive hole in our lives by passing away. But he also changed us for the better. I really hope that he made each and every one of us a better person – the one who wakes up every morning and just embraces life to its full.
‘Love your life, love your family and friends, take care of your health, spare time for those who are dear to you and ALWAYS find time to stop and take it easy. Life is too short to rush it. Life is beautiful!’.
On Tuesday’s programme, John and Margaret outlined the significance of the note Chris had unexpectedly left behind
Margaret explained their builder managed to take the message off the wall in one piece, but it crumbled when she took it upstairs and laid it down ‘very gently’ on the bed
It was revealed that Chris had written a farewell letter that was read at his funeral which he had planned himself and ended with a reception at Millwall football club.
In a message after the ceremony Margaret wrote on Facebook: ‘He was an amazing young man and I’m not saying that because I’m his Mum.
‘To have organised his own funeral words and music must have been very painful and difficult for him.
‘He loved life so much so it must have taken a great deal of effort. It was an example of what a courageous and caring young man he was. We will miss him so much.’
After Chris’s death his family continued to organise events in his honour including an annual cricket match which helped raise funds for a male cancer charity called Orchid.
On Tuesday’s programme, John and Margaret outlined the significance of the note Chris had unexpectedly left behind.
Explaining how it had been discovered, Margaret said: ‘Where they’d taken one of the original cupboards off the wall, this was behind it…
‘And it was a complete shock to see it there…’
Reacting to the restored note, one person said: ‘That was such a lovely repair and the tears flowed’
Someone else commented with a heart emoji and said: ‘That wallpaper repair is superb’
Another X user said: ‘Yeah that one’s emotional…’ in response to the Repair Shop episode
Someone said: ‘I love The Repair Shop and that bit of old plaster with writing from their son that passed away was a brilliant job and soooooo moving’
She told expert craftsman Dominic Chinea: ‘It was our late son Christopher. Back when he was about 14.’
The message said: ‘This is original wallpaper. Friday 4:15 8th December 1989.
‘Please leave this wallpaper, Chris.’
Margaret explained: ‘He would often scribble little notes that he would leave around the house, some of them saying ‘I love you’.’
Fighting back the tears, Margaret added: ‘When you lose a child, you never get over it, you get through it.
‘We’ve just got through it.’
Speaking about finding the note, she said: ‘It was just amazing. I couldn’t believe it when we saw it.’
Margaret explained their builder managed to take the message off the wall in one piece, but it crumbled when she took it upstairs and laid it down ‘very gently’ on the bed.
The fragile plaster was painstakingly restored by stonemason Rich Fraser, along with a paper conservator and woodworker Will Kirk
Margaret had said: ‘It would be so nice to have it back – his handwriting would be a treasure, a real treasure’
The couple feared it could never be replaced but kept the pieces as it meant so much to them.
Margaret said: ‘It would be so nice to have it back – his handwriting would be a treasure, a real treasure.’
The fragile plaster was painstakingly restored by stonemason Rich Fraser, along with a paper conservator and woodworker Will Kirk, who collaborated to piece it back together and put the message in a frame as ‘a powerful reminder of love, memory and the enduring presence of those we have lost’.
When the restored memento was unveiled, the couple wiped away tears of joy.
Margaret said: ‘Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. Even the torn bits of paper back together.
‘Better than I ever would have imagined it to be. What can I say? What can we say? It’s funny handwriting… He would be chuffed to bits to see that. He was, what, 14, and he would have been 48 this year.’
John said: ‘It’s Chris, what he represented. Has been revived and it’s put back what we love so much.’
He added: ‘He was a lovely boy.’
