The dad of a music-loving daughter says his family is living life “as best as we can”, more than two years after her sudden death.
Band member Barry Goodsell, from Maidstone, will take to the stage in a few weeks’ time in honour of his “amazing” Caitlin, singing as part of a Madness tribute act which he believes his daughter would have loved.
He will be waiving his performance fee as well as raising money directly when he takes part in a festival supporting the hospice organisation which helped the family through the toughest of times.
Teenager Caitlin was born with an extremely complicated and life-threatening heart condition which was discovered when she was eight weeks old.
Throughout her life, she suffered two strokes, had numerous operations starting from a young age and had a heart transplant.
At the end of March 2023, she was rushed to hospital after she stopped breathing.
Following numerous scans and checks, doctors could not find what was wrong and she was discharged.
But on April 1, 2023, Caitlin passed away at her home in Kingswood. She was just 17 years old.
The Cornwallis Academy, where Caitlin was a pupil, has since renamed its performing arts studio in her honour.
Now, more than two years on from her death, Barry is preparing to sing at a fundraising musicfest, knowing his daughter is guiding him to help others.
He told KentOnline “life will never be the same”.
“You don’t get over it,” he reflected. “You always have this little bit of the puzzle missing.
“We still have our emotional times. I’m not a religious person, but in the back of my mind I think, ‘I will see her one day’.
“You do have these feelings that she is watching and guiding you. But what we’ve decided is we will live our lives as best as we can.
“Her legacy lives on and that’s the most important thing. I can get Caitlin’s name out there still because she was an amazing person.”
After her death, Barry was given the opportunity to join tribute band Certified Madness, performing as what he calls the “Temu version of Suggs”.
The circumstances of how he became a part of the group and getting the gig were all thanks to Caitlin, he believes.
Barry had been offered an audition; however, it was a year on from the day she passed away.
The 54-year-old said: “At first it didn’t hit home and then I thought ‘oh crikey’.
“I told my wife that I was going to say no, as it was Caitlin’s day. But she loved music and really understood it.
“It’s what she would have wanted, so I decided to go.
“I did about 10 to 15 songs and got a call later on to say I got it. It was kind of heaven-sent.”
Barry, who works for Kent Police, is also a drummer and previously had an Elvis tribute act.
But he’ll be playing with Certified Madness at Preston Summerfest, a family-friendly three-day camping festival which is now in its second year.
It takes place at the recreation ground in Mill Lane near Canterbury and helps to raise funds for a number of Kent-based charities and organisations.
“They asked us how much we would do it for and I told them, personally, I wouldn’t take any money,” Barry explained.
“I gave them the backstory about Caitlin and they immediately asked me to do a write-up on her, which is now on their website.
“When I told the band I wouldn’t be taking a cut, all of them, one by one, said that they would also do it for nothing.”
He added: “I was quite choked up really, it was quite emotional. It just shows the type of people they are – we’re always supporting each other.
“I was blown away by how nice they were.”
Money raised will go to Demelza, the hospice for children which is based in Rook Lane, Bobbing, near Sittingbourne.
It was a place that played a massive part in Caitlin’s life.
Since she was born, the charity has been by the family’s side – offering lots of support and fun activities to do together.
In 2017, the youngster was chosen to be part of a TV advert in a campaign funded by Swale Heating.
Barry remembers taking her to a studio in Gillingham where she recorded a voiceover.
“She read out this poem and it was used in the video with all of the other children,” he recalled.
“I called her the poster girl for Demelza and she was really happy with that. The doctors had suggested the charity right from the beginning.
“Physically, because of everything, she was not quite so good, but cognitively she was so switched on and when she got there they used to all love her.
“They always looked after us as a family and we were always getting invited to things.”
Preston Summerfest will take place on August bank holiday weekend, with Certified Madness playing on Sunday, August 24.
Other acts include Toploader, Hullabaloo, THePETEBOX, DJ Graham Gold and Neon Rush.
For a full list of the line-up, click here.
Ticket prices vary between £27.75 and £30.50, depending on whether you book a weekend or day pass. Entry is free for children aged 11 and under.
All the proceeds will go to the chosen charities Demelza and Pilgrims Hospices, as well as Preston Primary School.
