The late Gogglebox star and his wife, Linda, have been fostering kids since 2000
Pete McGarry, the
Gogglebox star from Essex
who sadly passed away yesterday at the age of 71, reportedly fostered over 100 children in the past two decades. What an absolute legend.
As reported in the Metro, the McGarry family began their fostering journey way back in 2000, when they took in a child called Chris and went on to foster a further 68 children over the course of the next 16 years. An incredible act of kindness.
https://twitter.com/C4Gogglebox/status/1409490588513280001?s=20
The family joined the TV show in 2013, with biological son George being just 15 at the time. As such, George has always been raised around foster siblings and Linda McGarry said how she has always "just brought them up as her own".
"On Mother’s Day I get so many phone calls. They don’t forget you", she added, "A lot still regard me and Pete as their parents." - and rightly so: fostering and adoption are two of the most wonderful things you can do for a child.
Linda told the Daily Star: "We’ve now fostered 68 children [from 2000-2016] and it’s enhanced our lives so much. It’s very rewarding. I’ve just loved doing it".
She went on to say, quite beautifully, "I always say all you need to be a foster parent is a spare room, a sense of humour and a good heart".
Having done everything from raised them up till adulthood to paying off debts after they have left their guardianship, it's clear that Pete and his wife would do anything for their foster children and what a lovely way to remember the man.
