On the morning of Sunday 17th April 2011, our dad - Tippy - kissed our mum goodbye, closed the front door, and set out on his beloved Harley.

He was heading out to do what he loved most, riding alongside thousands of bikers in the annual Wirral Egg Run, delivering Easter eggs to children at Clatterbridge Hospital.

It was a day he looked forward to every year and was so proud to tell people he was involved in. But just moments after setting off on the journey home, everything changed. Dad pulled over and his friend Phil stopped beside him, asking what was wrong.

It was there, by the side of the road, that our dad took his final breath.

He was just 51.

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The days that followed were a blur of shock, grief, and unanswered questions. How could someone so full of life, so active and healthy, be gone in an instant?

At first, we thought it was a heart attack. But eventually, a post-mortem gave us an answer we had never even heard of before…

Aortic Dissection: A tear in the wall of the aorta, the body’s main artery, that causes blood to surge between its layers. It’s rare, unpredictable, and often catastrophic.

Some people can be saved if it’s caught in time, but unfortunately our Dad couldn’t.

Even if he had been in an operating theatre at that exact moment, the rupture was so severe that nothing could have been done.

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Fifteen years ago, there was very little awareness of this condition and no dedicated support for families like ours.

That’s why this means so much to us now. No one should only learn about aortic dissection after it’s already taken someone they love.

This August we will be throwing ourselves out of a plane to raise money for ADCT, The Aortic Dissection Charitable Trust.

Fingers crossed our landing goes a little smoother than Dad’s did on his charity jump… which, famously, ended in a pond.

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We’re doing this jump for Tippy, Our Dad.

For the man who loved big, laughed loud, and is missed beyond words.

And for every family who’s been blindsided by this cruel and silent condition.

If you can donate, share, or simply take a moment to learn more, it genuinely means the world.

This one’s for you, Pops ❤️

Your Kegsy and Tatty Head xx

Although rare, aortic dissection can affect anyone, follow the link below to get more detail on the symptoms and what to look out for...

https://aorticdissectioncharitabletrust.org/about-aortic-dissection/