On May 22, 2013, new-dad Fusilier Lee Rigby was murdered in an unprovoked attack in Woolwich.

Lee, from Middleton in Great Manchester, was a drummer in the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers.

The 25-year-old had served in Cyprus, Germany and Afghanistan before becoming a recruiter with ceremonial duties at the Tower of London.

Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale are serving life sentences after they mowed him down in a car then hacked at him with knives and a meat cleaver.

On the tenth anniversary of his murder a statement from Lee's mum, Lyn Rigby, was shared on The Lee Rigby Foundation Facebook page.

It reads:

I can scarcely believe that ten years have passed since my beloved son Lee was taken from us.

I know from the huge number of supportive messages I receive that so many others feel the same way – people constantly tell me they remember his murder like it was yesterday.

What’s even more staggering is that I’m still standing. I’m still here fighting every day to keep Lee’s memory alive.

It’s only down to the love and support of my husband Ian and four beautiful daughters Sara, Chelsea, Courtney and Amy that I made it through at all. They carried me through the darkest of days when Lee was killed, despite bearing their own pain at the loss of a son and adored brother.

For that, I will always be so grateful.

It’s been a long and hard journey that I wouldn’t wish on anyone.

But I have also had some exceptional support from thousands of people on that rocky road – some of whom I know and others that are complete strangers who have wished me well and helped me when I needed it most.

There are too many people to thank individually but for everyone who has been there for me, in whatever shape or form, big or small, I owe you all a huge debt of gratitude. That love and kindness I have been so lucky to receive restored my faith in human nature and showed me how much people cared about Lee and the terrible fate that he met.

So many people cared for us as a family too and that still means the world to us all today.

Lee’s heartless and brutal murder showed us the very worst of humanity but the outpouring of shock as well as love and compassion from so many good people far outweighed the bad of just a few.

It doesn’t take the pain away. Nothing ever can. But it carries us through as a family when we hit rock bottom.

There’s a good reason people cared so much for Lee. He was one of life’s good guys. Not a saint. Not perfect by any means. But as his mum, he was just a wonderful, beautiful son.

He was so mischievous and full of life, but he was always so kind and thoughtful too. He was like a cheeky angel with a very big twinkle in his eye!

I never tire of talking about Lee. My memories are all I have left but he still lives within each and every one of his family in our hearts.

Even though he is no longer with us, he still teaches me every day how to be a better person.

He always put others first. He was so loving and affectionate, and he lived life to the full in his 25 years.

That’s why the Lee Rigby Foundation is so vital to us as a family. It’s Lee’s legacy that is there to help other people. I want to make Lee proud and to carry on the kindness that he showed to so many people while he was still alive.

He might have done it with a lot of noise, but he did it with all his heart. And we all miss that crazy noise of his every single day.

Today I will spend time with my family so we can celebrate Lee’s life and remember him. Talk about him and love him with all our hearts.

And then I’ll carry on with his legacy, working at his charity to try and bring comfort and hope to others who have also lost loved ones.

A decade of loss is a lot of pain, but we all owe it to Lee to never forget him and carry through the kindness and love he had in abundance.

If you have a moment today, ten years since his unthinkable murder, spare a thought for Lee. Raise a glass to him. And cherish knowing that kindness and compassion will always win over dark hearts and violence.

That’s Lee’s message. It’s our message.

Here’s to the most beautiful son I miss every minute of every day. xx