Think back to 26 years ago.... In 1992. I don't remember much about what happened then, but a quick google search tells me that:

1. The Maastricht treaty was signed
2. The Conservatives are reelected for a fourth term
3. Alan Shearer becomes Britain's most expensive footballer, signing for Blackburn for £3.6 Million

For Russ Brookes, aged 11, He was about to enter into a rite of passage, that was to turn out very differently to what he hoped. I was babysitting my brother for the first time; it was only for a few hours till Dad came home from his night shift while Mum had to go to work, it shouldn't have been a big deal. But I took this very seriously, I wanted to make a good impression so I'd be trusted to do it again. And so I stayed up till he was home. I was watching a western, I don't remember what. I remember Dad coming in, saying good night and that was that. He probably said something to me, I can't remember what. 

If I knew what was going to happen the next day, i'd have told him I loved him because that was the last time I saw him alive. 

The next time I saw him, it was looking out my window. I had just found a note from him, I didn't know what it was at the time, I thought he was running away. Looking out towards the garage and seeing Doctors trying to resuscitate him, I realised what it was; a suicide note. Everyone did their best to save him, but later that day, I walked into my Aunties dinning room, to have my mum tell us my dad had died. 

I've never felt pain like it.  I was angry, confused, devastated, numb, sad, depressed, abandoned. So many emotions. It felt like I never would.  Thanks to Winston's Wish I did. 

My family got the support it needed to get through this dark and bleak time. I think i'm a reasonably together person now. Like everyone I'm flawed, but without the charity I don't know what life would have been like. Being able to talk about how I felt, to understand that it was ok to be angry and to get through that and to meet others who had been through similar experiences, it helped a lot. As did the counselling and tools to cope. And to be taken out and allowed to have fun, to know it was ok for life to happen still. Every child deserves that. I'd hate for others not to get the help I needed

And so I've always tried to give back. I've cycled from Land's End to John O'Groats, I've ridden around London, I've played rugby for 24 hours. Trying to raise awareness and money for WInston's Wish

And after each of these, I've always wondered what to do next. The goals have been massive for me, they give me a focus. 

This year Dad would have been 70 on the 17th November. 

I wanted to do something that was new.. So I'm running. A Marathon, the furthest I've run is a half. Once. And not just any Marathon, I'm running London.

This is going to test me, but I want to do it. But not just for my dad. For me. Then I'm going to do a sprint Triathlon and Ride London.

But the biggest challenge to me, is the Dragon Ride, 140 miles in the Welsh Mountains.

All i'm asking in return is you take 5 minutes of you time to read my story (if you've got this far you've done that so thank you) and donate a small sum of money, to make it worth it. I will happily suffer if it means the charity can take another angst filed child, tell them its ok, there is hope, life can be better, not perfect just better.

Thank you for reading.

Russ