Twin brothers from Leavesden have honoured their father by completing a six-day trek wearing his shoes.
Craig and Ross, 22, walked 96 miles of the West Highland Way from Milngavie to Fort William in Scotland, in order to raise funds for the charity Brain Tumour Research. To honour the memory of their father, Dave, they completed the walk wearing his hiking shoes.
Dave had planned to take on the iconic challenge in his retirement. However, a year after stopping work, the father-of-two was diagnosed with glioblastoma, a type of brain tumour, and passed away 16 months later in September 2021, at age 57.
Ross, a Herts Police officer based in St Albans, and Craig, who works as a strength and conditioning coach for Leicester Tigers Women rugby club, took it in turns to carry their dad’s ashes during the walk. They were joined by their mum, Sam, and her cousin, Victoria, and finished the walk on May 13.
Sam, who is a midwife, said: “This was Dave’s dream, sadly something he never got to do when he was alive. It was bittersweet carrying his ashes with us. Seeing the boys walk the route in their dad’s shoes was another way of bringing Dave along on the adventure. He would have been surprised I was doing the challenge as walking was his thing, but I know he’d have been our biggest cheerleader.
“I have seen and read of so many young people dying because of a brain tumour, which is heartbreaking. We wanted to do something so that future generations of people who are told they have a brain tumour have a better chance at living longer and even surviving this cruel disease.”
Through the challenge, the family of ramblers have raised more than £5,000 for Brain Tumour Research.
The charity funds sustainable research at dedicated centres in the UK and campaigns for the government and larger cancer charities to invest more in research into brain tumours.
To donate, please visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Samantha-West26
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