‘I had a vivid and worrying dream of the police bringing me bad news. The next day, it happened.’

The spirit world was always present to me from early childhood.

I would sense the closeness of spirits around me, particularly at night when I was in bed. I’d feel the bed depress as an unseen presence would sit near my feet, and strangely I was more curious than frightened.

These visits were never mentioned by me to my parents, as I thought that everyone had the same experiences – apparently, they don’t.

My wonderful dad tragically lost his life, aged just 48 years, while trying in vain to save the life of a young workmate. Both passed from this world into the next on May 3, 1978, leaving behind their families.

Since then, I’ve always felt the closeness of my father around me. I’d hear his voice giving me ongoing advice and words of encouragement, when the reality of losing your dad at 18 seemed impossible to comprehend.

Years later, in the early hours of May 3, 2012, sleep didn't come easily to me.

I had the most vivid and worrying dreams about the police coming to see my husband and I at our restaurant in Hardware Lane. They would lead me away in tears, just as they had exactly 34 years before when dad passed.

I awoke the next day feeling very troubled by the dream and all morning I felt unusually flat and sad.

That afternoon, my hideous premonition became my reality. But this time it was the police coming to tell me that our adored 19-year-old son, Sam, had just passed way in a car accident with two of his best mates.

The world truly did stop spinning for me that day, and if I could have stepped off, I would have. Life was truly put into perspective and my husband Sergio and our family had no choice but to stay strong.

We followed none of the recommendations usually prescribed after such a tragic loss. We sold our family home, moved suburbs, changed jobs and after a life changing experience with a medium, I joined a psychic circle for beginners.

Lorraine the medium's opening words to me were: "You are a mother grieving the loss of your son, aged between eighteen and twenty years."

I cried tears in full force when she told me Sam was there and had been trying to communicate with us via Lorraine. I had asked Sam to wait there for me that morning and he was. Lorraine also went on to say that Sam had been met by his grandfather, my father.

My search for Sam has taken me on an amazing yet unplanned journey that led to me discovering my own wonderful gift of mediumship.

This gift has always been within me, albeit untapped, and through my own tragic losses I discovered I could use this beautiful ability to help others connect with their own loved ones.

Each year since 2015, I attend the world-renowned Arthur Findlay College of Psychic Sciences in the UK for two weeks at a time. I undertake intense courses in the advancement of my mediumship.

It’s something I intend to do for the remainder of my life, as the experiences had at this incredible place are like nothing I ever imagined possible.

My life is forever changed since losing Sam, but strangely in the most positive of ways. I continue to feel the love and presence of Sam and Dad.

I know that they were both a driving force behind my decision to write a book about how I’ve dealt with my own grief.

In turn, I hope it will offer a sense of hope to others experiencing their own incomprehensible pain.

A Mother’s Journey is Kerry Alderuccio's first book. It is one she wished existed when Sam passed, when all she wanted was answers to seemingly unanswerable questions. It available in all good book stores, online and nationally in Big W stores.