Julie Jay: Losing a parent means membership to a club nobody wants to be in

My beloved dad's funeral took place the day before Christmas Eve, and I'm not sure my heart will ever be the same again

Julie Jay: Since he has passed away, people I don’t know particularly well have come up to me and told me that they, too, have lost a parent and that they understand the pain I am going through. As one person said to me 'You’re in the club now. It’s not a club anyone wants to be in, but know that we’re in it with you'.

My dad died the week before Christmas, and it still doesn’t feel real.

He was a special person. I know everyone thinks that about their dad, but it was really true of mine. I still haven’t brought myself to read the online condolences, but many people have done so on my behalf, and all, without exception, have commented on the sheer volume of tributes. Make no mistake — the world is a much better place simply because my dad, Johnny Johnson, was in it.