Robert was a very kind hearted man, who was so full of life, and loved nothing more than being with his family and venturing on long scenic walks. Upon arriving in the Lake District, one of the first things he did was point out Blencathra and said how much he wanted to climb it. Mountain walks such as this would make him so excited.
His death has made such a big hole in the
lives of his family and has deeply affected many who knew him. But despite how
horrific and upsetting the death of Robert has been, we must remember that he
died whilst doing something that he had a great passion for and really enjoyed.
Thanks to the work of the Keswick Mountain Rescue Team (along with Penrith and Kirkby Stephens Teams), who put hours of hard work, searching and risked their own lives, Robert was found on the morning of 19.08.10. Without help from the mountain rescue teams, the probability is that Robert would not have been found, and not knowing his whereabouts and condition would be torture for the rest of us.
Many people do not know that the rescue team workers are all unpaid volunteers, who give up their free time and put their own lives in jeopardy to help and save the lives of others. It must take a lot of strength and commitment to carry out the jobs they do. In our situation, their dedication was proved as they had 27 men and a helicopter on the search until around 4am when the weather conditions became too severe.
With the help of your donations, the mountain rescue services could be greatly improved. This could include things such as: training new search dogs, buying and maintaining equipment/resources/buildings/vehicles, training new volunteers and so much more that is unseen but just as necessary.
My family and I would be extremely appreciative if you could give a donation as we feel out of respect for Robert, we must do something to promote their outstanding work, show our gratitude, and make others aware of the dangers up in the mountains.
If any of you ever feel that you want to climb a mountain (or something similar) on your own, no matter how capable you think you are, please think twice, as going in a pair or group could easily prevent tragic accidents such as the one involving my father.
Thankyou for your time,
Heather Keetley
