When nine-year-old James Eadie from Bristol died from a massive epileptic fit, his family nearly fell apart.

His big sister Becky Body refused to go to school, and the family fought with each other as they tried to come to terms with their grief.

But the rock that kept the family together was their mum Michele. Thirteen years later the family couldn't be closer. This is why Mrs Body, 27, has entered her mum into the Evening Post's 'Mum In A Million' competition, to win a cruise.

James was born with part of his brain missing, and doctors told his mum that he would never walk or talk.

But Mrs Eadie, 52, who lives in St George, refused to believe this, and she took her son to specialists, tried different medication, and took him for speech therapy, and physiotherapy.

For his short life, James talked, walked, and loved life. He went to Air Balloon Hill Primary School, and Mrs Body said you couldn't tell he was disabled.

James was doing well, until overnight from June 7 to 8, 1997, he suffered a massive epileptic fit and died.

Mum-of-two Mrs Body told the Evening Post: "It was really hard. Everyone was distraught and we started fighting with each other. I wouldn't go to school. If it hadn't have been for my mum, we would all have fallen apart. She was always there for us and kept us on the straight and narrow."

Mrs Eadie's other children, Rachel, 25, Mitchell, 17, and Shannon, 15, and her four grandchildren, think she is a 'Mum In A Million', as does her husband James, 64.

Housewife Mrs Body, mum to James, 11 months, and Josh, seven, said: "To bring up five kids is worth the prize in itself.

"Mum and dad did anything and everything possible that they thought would improve James' quality of life, and as he grew older he got his sight and he had grommets put in his ears and could hear OK.

"They took him to speech and physiotherapy and by the time he was seven, he was like any other boy his age. Their persistence had paid off.

"We have been through some really hard times since then, but have nominated my mum because she has been so strong through all of this, where most people would have crumbled."

Despite having a mini-stroke two years ago, Mrs Eadie is now training to guide school children around the Create Centre, in Bristol, to teach them about everyday dangers in life. She also goes to a group for bereaved parents called Compassionate Friends.

Mrs Body said: "She is always there for any of us, whenever we need her, whatever we need her for, and for this I thank her because I don't know what I'd do without her.

"We are all really close and help each other out; we've had a good teacher.

"That's why my mum is a Mum In A Million."