ONE of Jon Fredrickson’s dying wishes was to have his 10-year battle with a brain tumour retold in a book.

The 26-year-old from Yate was too ill to be able write himself but now, three years after his death, Jon’s mother Jacky has published his story Jon: A true story of love, courage and faith.

For Jacky, a retired primary school teacher at Crossways Infant School in Thornbury, the book was something to focus on in the face of her grief.

“Jon wasn’t a writer,” she told the Gazette. “He said it was too late for him but he asked me to write it for him.

“It was quite a clever thing for him to do as it gave me a focus.

“I sat for hours in a cabin we had built for Jon in our garden, surrounded by the furniture he had picked for his own flat, and immersed myself in writing it. Reliving the really difficult times was hard but there were also many lovely times to remember.”

Jon was 16 and a pupil at Brimsham Green School in Yate when he was diagnosed with medulloblastoma, the most common type of brain tumour in children. Despite being ill, he took up an apprenticeship in business administration with Bristol City Council and was named employee of the year in 2006.

A music and football fan whose whole family, of Argyle Drive, are committed members of the congregation at St Mary’s Church in Yate, Jon also loved travelling and had attempted to reach the furthest points north, south, east and west in the UK but became too ill. He died on May 18 2012.

“Jon was a young man so I wanted the book to be pacy not plodding,” said Jacky, 63.

“The main focus is his illness but it starts before he was born and I wanted to paint a picture of the person he was.

“Love, courage and faith were the elements that came through as I was writing. The courage he showed through his illness was phenomenal, he was very much loved and God came into our lives and helped us through.”

Jacky, who also has twin daughters Rachel and Emily, launched the book with her husband Roy at their home on Saturday.

“I ordered 100 copies and only have seven left,” she said. “People have ordered it from Amazon and it has been sent to Australia, New Zealand and France.

“I thought it would only be read by people who knew Jon so I have been overwhelmed at how interested people are.”

She added: “It was a very healing thing to do and now to pick up the book and read a little bit makes me feel closer to him.

“Jon would be so proud and I have fulfilled a promise. I couldn’t not.”

Jacky is donating the profits of the first 50 copies sold to the Brain Tumour Charity and a percentage thereafter. Jon: A true story of love, courage and faith is available on Amazon and Kindle or by emailing jackyfred@blueyonder.co.uk