On the latest episode of The Repair Shop, Emma MacLennan brought in a special instrument – a Cretan lyra that belonged to her late son, Alex – and had it beautifully restored.
Alex, with Cretan roots through his grandmother, grew up fascinated by the island’s traditions. He taught himself to play the lyra and cherished the instrument until a diagnosis of motor neurone disease sadly prevented him from continuing to play.
It was with great sadness that Alex died at the young age of 31. The lyra is a deeply meaningful object for his family.
During the show, MacLennan shared that the instrument belonged to his son, Alex, and was something Alex cherished, while speaking with instrument repairer Becky Houghton.
She explained that her mother was from Crete, and Alex had been visiting the island since he was a young child. He grew up speaking the local dialect and loved the music, so he decided to learn to play an instrument. He ordered this particular one in 2013 and taught himself how to play.
I’m incredibly proud of him. He’s always been someone who connects easily with all kinds of people – even shepherds traveling down from the mountains for sheep shearing. It’s a lively event with music, food, and a truly memorable atmosphere.
He played the instrument until 2019, when he was diagnosed with Motor Neurone disease. The disease gradually took away his ability to move his hands and walk, eventually forcing him to stop playing. Sadly, Alex passed away in 2020 at the young age of 31. He continued to play for as long as he physically could, making this instrument a very meaningful item for our family.
The lyre is currently at the MacLennans’ house, put aside for their grandson to learn to play when he’s older.
I’ve been chatting with my daughter-in-law – Alex’s wife, sadly – and we’ve been thinking about taking some online courses. We mentioned it to the BBC, actually.
The Repair Shop continues on Wednesday 22 April at 8pm on BBC One and iPlayer.
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