After suffering 2 strokes in the space of 6 months in 2020, Mark was left with life changing alterations to his physical and mental abilities. Recovery was hard due to the restrictions of Covid-19. With the love of his Fiance Mandy and the support of his family, he did what he could to try to regain some of his former self. Mark took pride in going back to work in the engineering job he loved as an Operational Implementation and Support Manager with Eriks. His employer, bosses and colleagues were supportive of his recovery.

Unfortunately for Mark, he struggled   with the fact that he had lost the use of 1/4 of his brain and, in his eyes, that he was never going to be the man he was before the stroke. Mark was worried that a further stroke would leave him even less of who he was. On the 27th December 2020 Mark took his own life. 

For anyone that knew Mark, you know he never did anything the easy way. He never took the easy option. Mark taking his own life was completely out of character, there were no signs or triggers. He was genuinely happy with his beautiful family and his work. 

It is really hard for us as a family to write that Mark took his own life. We dont want the way his life ended to be the definition of of who he was. We know in our hearts that a combination of the strokes and that lack of face-to-face post stroke support was the real cause of his death. 

Mark was a wonderful person who touched the lives of all he met. He was an amazing fiance, a father, a son, a brother, an uncle, a brother-in-law and a fiercely loyal friend. 

In 2012 Mark started  the arduous journey of beginning his Bachelors Degree in Mechanical Engineering (BEng Hons) at Northumbria University, which he passed with First Class Honours . In engineering Mark had found his passion and his calling. It was an achievement he had worked so hard to get and he was so proud of it, and rightly so! He took his first "engineering" position within a company called Eriks where he found his home. Mark was respected by his colleagues and peers, he loved his job. He would get completely "geeky" when talking about it and the passion would flow out with his descriptions! You couldn't help but smile along, even if you didn't have a clue what he was talking about. 

Mark would love for his friends and family to donate to help children discover the world of STEM. Subjects he was truly passionate about. He thrived helping his children learn about maths, science and technology. ENT is a worthy cause he would be proud to support.