Sven Miller 
Sometimes the most beautiful love stories are also among the saddest ones, but that is just how life goes. Love more than often ends up with a loss, but this is not the end of that love itself, for it goes on indefinitely. The following story is the most beautiful example of that. Dr. Margaret McCollum and Oswald Laurence met 27 years ago while exploring Morocco.
Oswald was employed at a cruise company back then. They married soon after falling in love from first sight. The happy couple shared each day right until Oswald passed away in 2007. His wife missed him a lot but she had a way of damping that feeling just a bit. Oswald’s voice was the one all the passengers of the Northern Line heard on a daily basis. Unfortunately for Dr. McCollum, that changed eventually, as a more sophisticated notification system was introduced, replacing her loved one’s voice. It was one really unique way for her to get together with the love of her life.
The story is just as beautiful as it is sad and we are glad that John Bull, a historian, took to Twitter to share the story and to show everyone what true love is all about.
1. The beginning
This is how the story began. The idea was for everyone to see something beautiful and inspiring, and it was one curious story, too! It involved the person behind the voice everyone heard at numerous stations, including Embankment station which was the last one where Oswald could be heard, for many years in a row, and that probably captured most people’s attention.
2. The story
The staff at the station were probably quite puzzled by the strange question a woman asked them seven years ago. Dr. McCollum went to that station for years after her husband’s passing. She was able to hear his voice for about five years after that, until one day it wasn’t there anymore. This is why she wanted to know what was going on.
3. The confusion
At first, they were not sure what she meant and they only thought she wanted to know if the ‘mind the gap’ message was still going to be on. Little did they know, she cared about the actual voice of the old announcement, and not the text itself. When she told them that the voice belonged to her husband, they probably remained silent for more than a few seconds, realizing what she was actually asking them about.
4. The couple
The two love birds shared countless happy moments between them and there is no wonder that Dr. McCollum wanted to hear Oswald’s voice as much as she could. The people at the train station kindly promised to try and provide her with a copy of the recording, but they knew that she was used to hearing him there every single day.
5. The background
Dr. McCollum took her time and explained the whole thing from the beginning. Her husband was a retired actor who had already quit acting when they met. He actually recorded all the messages used by the Northern Line in the 70s but eventually ‘mind the gap’ was the only one left to be heard, and the Embankment station was the last place to keep it until the new system took over.
6. The loss
When she felt sad about Oswald not being there anymore, Dr. McCollum would just sit at the station for a bit longer than usual. She shared that at times she missed him to the point when it was unbearable and the fact that she could hear his voice like that had a soothing effect on her.
7. The ghost
Sure enough, the grieving woman was well aware that it was just a mere reminder of her husband and that this would not bring him back, but it was all that she had left, and it was certainly more than nothing. After all, that was her husband talking day after day, while all the other commuters probably didn’t even pay attention to just another announcement.
8. The copy
As we already mentioned, Margaret McCollum eventually got her copy of the recording of her late husband’s voice, but she was rather skeptical if they could provide it for her. The staff members were obviously touched by the whole thing and they did their best to find a copy and give it to her.
9. Dr. McCollum
The whole story had Dr. McCollum feeling down at first, but then she realized that the people working at the station cared for the way she felt and showed compassion, and that probably warmed her heart in a way she didn’t even imagine before.
10. The result
What Margaret expected was probably to be handed a copy of her husband’s voice, but she was in for a lot more than that! She probably could not believe it, but she heard the voice of the man she loved more than anyone else in her life! This was a surprise that probably brought her to tears of joy!
11. The kindness
The people working at Embankment station and everyone else who were even partially related to the whole thing realized that everyone would love to hear their lost loved ones at least one more time, so they figured that they should try to make sure that at least one person would be able to do it!
12. The cooperation
People working together to make someone else happy is a glorious thing to witness, and the result of that effort was the smile on Margaret’s face. After finding the tape, they had to embed his voice into the new announcement system, but they eventually pulled it off, and this proves just how awesome people are!
13. The happy ending
Here is how true love works. It makes impossible things happen just like that. But the great thing about this story is that everyone got to be a part of it. Even if you happen to use Embankment station once, just listen to the voice who advises you to ‘mind the gap’ and smile! This is love that goes beyond time and space, and we are glad we saw the story and shared it.
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