The Stuart family, tragically lost their son and brother Matthew in a motorbike accident on 16th April 2020. This April, Matthew’s brother Richard and friends, will be challenging themselves to climb the 4 highest peaks in the UK, in Matthew’s memory and to help future patients.
“Thursday 16th April 2020 was one of those beautiful spring days. It was back in the early weeks of the first Covid lockdown. I remember sitting at home and seeing on Facebook that the Spa Road, Ballynahinch had been closed and a short time later I saw the air ambulance flying overhead. As you do, I thought something bad had happened and hoped that everything turns out ok.”
“A little bit later, around 3pm I got a phone call from my dad and I could hear the distress in his voice as he said ‘Matts died in a motorbike accident’. That’s when everything changed.”
“3 years on, we are still coming to terms with it all. It’s been a hard journey, especially for my parents. Sometimes it’s like he’s just gone on holiday or he’s emigrated and you expect to see him pop through the door or call round.”
“Matt would have been 40 on 18th April 2023, so I wanted to do something to mark the date in his absence.”
“Last October I thought let’s do something EPIC, so we plan to climb the 4 highest mountains in each of the 4 regions of the UK over 4 days in April. In Matt’s memory, we will starting with Ben Nevis in Scotland on 14/04/23, then onto Scafell Pike in the North of England, Snowdon in Wales on 17/04/23 and finish with the Slieve Donard in Northern Ireland on 18/04/23, which would be Matthew’s 40th Birthday. The combined ascent and descent totals 8516m which is just short of the Mt Everest elevation at 8848m.”
“We hope this gives people the chance to say ‘Thank you’ to Matt and in doing so we can try to raise some money for Air Ambulance NI as the Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) were there at the scene the day of Matts accident.”
“If you would like to support us, you can do so by making a donation at:
Richard Stuart is fundraising for Air Ambulance Northern Ireland (justgiving.com)
And you can keep updated on our challenge by following us on Walk 4 Matt | Ballynahinch | Facebook”
Watch Richard Stuart talk more about the challenge: https://fb.watch/jKGKGIrzzR/
