Grace Millane's mother aspires to improve the world

Grace Millane had always dreamed of traveling the world, and her mother Gillian proudly remembers a school project in which Grace expressed her desire to visit New Zealand. Despite growing up in Wickford in Essex, Grace had a lively and friendly personality, easily making friends wherever she went. Gillian describes Grace as her best friend, sharing memories of going to the pub and going on holidays together. After graduating from the University of Lincoln, Grace embarked on a year-long solo backpacking adventure across the globe. While in New Zealand, just two weeks before her 22nd birthday, she was tragically strangled to death by a man she had met on a dating app. Despite her regular contact with her family, Grace had not responded to their birthday messages, causing them to report her missing. Her father flew to New Zealand to search for her, but her body was ultimately discovered on the outskirts of Auckland. During the trial, Grace's killer attempted to pass off the murder as a result of rough sex gone wrong and claimed Grace had asked to be strangled. Gillian felt that her daughter was being put on trial and that she couldn't defend herself, making the experience horrendous. However, the jury unanimously convicted the killer of murder, and he was given a life sentence. In the aftermath of the tragedy, Gillian became an advocate against the rough sex defense through her involvement with the charity We Can't Consent To This. She helped bring about changes to the law in England and Wales. Unfortunately, two years after Grace's murder, Gillian's husband David passed away from cancer, leaving her in a dark place emotionally. She credits her family and friends, long walks, and counseling for helping her through the difficult times. Gillian had contemplated suicide but decided against it, not wanting to bring further sadness to her family. She mourns the fact that she will never witness Grace in a wedding dress or see her have grandchildren. However, Gillian has found inner strength and light amidst the darkness. She threw a memorial party for David and found solace in dancing and seeing smiles on the faces of those around her. To continue finding strength, Gillian climbed Mount Kilimanjaro during the Christmas season, raising funds for the White Ribbon charity, which aims to end male violence against women. Her efforts garnered £33,000 for the cause. The following year, she applied for her charity initiative, Love Grace, to become an official organization. Through Love Grace, Gillian and her niece collect donated handbags filled with toiletries for domestic abuse victims. They have filled 15,600 bags so far and received recognition from the prime minister. Gillian's aim is to change the world and prevent other families from experiencing what she has endured. She plans to establish Love Grace as an official charity, and she will be training for a trek to Everest base camp, where she intends to place additional stones in honor of her loved ones. Gillian also hopes to visit New Zealand, a country that embraced Grace. Despite the ongoing pain of living without her daughter, Gillian remains resilient and determined to make the world a better place.