On the 20th of June 2023, my beautiful nephew, Elliot, was killed in a horrific car crash on the A415 in Marcham, Oxfordshire.

Elliot was the front seat passenger of the BMW, being driven dangerously and recklessly by the 18 year old driver, who was under the influence of Nitrous Oxide and reached speeds of over 100mph before colliding with a tree.

Elliot was killed instantly, along with his two friends, Daniel & Ethan. He was just a month away from his 18th birthday, loving his apprenticeship at PMC retail, looking forward to his first holiday with friends and learning to drive. Elliot had his whole life ahead of him, and yet that night, due to someone else's unthinkable actions, it was taken away.

Statistics show that young male drivers between the ages of 18-24 are most likely to be involved in Fatal or Serious Injury Collisions. The choices made behind the wheel, whether as a driver or passenger, can literally be a matter if life and death. I want to keep telling Elliots story and reminding them of how one dangerous decision can quite simply be life changing. I hope that by sharing this, it prevents someone else from taking a risk that could result in someone losing their life.

As a family, we have suffered an unimaginable pain since losing Elliot. The sheer devastation that his death has caused is something that can't be explained. He is so hugely missed every day, a huge void in our lives and so absent from our family celebrations and get togethers. My sister Kate, brother in law Giles and niece Mia are living a nightmare every day without him. Life is so very different and so very heartbreaking without this gorgeous boy.

Elliot would have been 21 next year and I want to do something to mark this and to honour his life.

I will be running (or at least trying to!) the Brighton Marathon in April 2026 for the Road Victims Trust - a fantastic charity, dedicated to supporting people who have been affected by the grief and trauma of a road death or serious injury collisions. I can't tell you how much this charity can do for a family in the deepest depths of grief. I am so determined to raise as much money for the Road Victims Trust to continue the wonderful work they do and to remind people of the dangers of the road.

It is NEVER, ever worth the risk and if I can share this horrendous experience as a way of educating other people, then I will continue to do so with the hope it makes a difference.

Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.