An American woman has paid an emotional tribute to her mum and gran on the 20th anniversary of a tragic accident.

Johan Gillies, from Michigan spoke in memory of her mother Annie Murray Gillies and grandmother Margaret McLellan Gillies.

They were both killed in a horror car crash on September 16, 1998 on the A82 near Cameron House.

Tragically, Margaret, 90, was battling breast cancer at the time and was on her way home to Luss after enduring major surgery when the accident occurred.

Her daughter-in-law Annie, 70, had been visiting from the US with husband George to support his beloved mother.

The three had been on route back to Luss from the hospital when the tragedy occurred - leaving George the only survivor.

Speaking to the Lennox Herald this week, Johan, 63, recalled how the family, who have loving memories of the Bonnie Banks, were left utterly devastated.

Annie Gillies on Johan's wedding day on June 19,1982

She said: “It was just such a shock. It was a trying time for us all.

“I have a lot of cousins and friends in Scotland and they had all decided to wait until we were notified officially, but after a few hours they called us.

“The next morning, when a police officer arrived at my brother’s door, we had already reserved our flights to Scotland.”

The funeral took place in Luss, a village close to the family’s heart.

Johan, who arrived for the funeral along with brothers Donald and George and cousins from America, says she still remembers the bittersweet experience of visiting the Loch Lomond beauty spot.

“My grandparents and my mother are all buried at Luss church,” she said.

“I always remember the funeral, walking back and forth from that church and the wind was blowing over from the loch.

“I have not been back in 20 years but I want to go back as I have all the cousins on my mum’s side.”

It was in Luss, where he grew up, that George first met Annie and, despite the tragic memories the area now holds, he has returned to the area twice since the tragedy occurred.

Johan said: “When they met, my parents climbed Ben Lomond together where they buried a bottle with a note in it.

“Two days after the funeral, we climbed Ben Lomond and tried to find it but we couldn’t.

“We did bury our own bottle though, so there are two messages in bottles hidden at the top of Ben Lomond now.”

Having emigrated to the US in 1957, Johan’s grandparents longed to return to the Argyll village they had previously called home – and in the 1970s they did.

A Christmas family photo showing Annie, Margaret and George on the front row

Johan continued: “They worked at Luss Parish Church in their old age. My grandfather was a caretaker.

“They had been involved in the church in the past and my dad would help him bury people in the church yard.”

When Johan’s grandfather passed away naturally, aged 90 in 1990, her grandmother Margaret began visiting the US regularly.

“She would spend summers out here visiting the family in Michigan where I live, Florida where my mum and dad were, and New Jersey where my dad’s brother is,” said Johan.

“She would make sure she visited everybody.

“In the summer of 1998, we had a big 90th birthday celebration for her and throughout her stay she told no one that she had breast cancer.

“Then the day before she was to fly home she told me.

“I remember it vividly, she said ‘come here, I want you to feel something’ and I felt the lump on her chest.

“I asked why she had kept it a secret and she said she didn’t want anybody to worry. I said ‘you better tell them’.”

Margaret was due to have surgery in Scotland and subsequently had a procedure to remove her breast.

Two days after the funerals, the family climbed Ben Lomond and buried a message in a bottle

“The doctors had said she was a trooper for handling it so well at 90 years old,” said Johan.

The family still retain their Scottish links and Johan said: “My grandfather was a bagpiper, he took part in the Luss games every year.

“They have a memorial cup in my grandfather’s honour.

“My dad lives within the Scottish area of Florida called Dunedin where they have Scottish bands in the schools.”

Despite living in Michigan, Florida and New Jersey - the family all manage to keep regular contact and are hoping to hold a reunion for George’s 88th birthday in March.

Johan said: “My dad is 87 now and is battling stage four cancer.

“He remarried about 10 years ago and he and his partner went back to Luss about eight years ago. My dad also did a trip with my brother about three years ago. He will be 88 in March and we are hoping to have a big family celebration.

“We will see what happens but we always count each day as a blessing.”

Johan with dad George presenting the Gillies Cup to young bagpipers in Dunedin

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