On the 29th December 2018, our world was turned upside down... my father, who had just retired after turning 60 and despite having no health issues, suffered a major stroke.

Christmas 2018 was the most wonderful Christmas until this dreaded day... my parents spent an amazing Christmas week in Warrington with all of the family... we made lots of precious memories and enjoyed making plans for our new arrival due February 2019. Having found out on Christmas Eve that we were having another princess... my baby girl, Grandad was overjoyed and chose her name, Sofia! My dad didn’t stop talking about what it was going to be like to have another little granddaughter and how he couldn’t wait to move to Warrington to spend his retirement making memories with all his girls...

Having returned home from Warrington on the 28th December they had a lovely chilled night back in Hartlepool, the following morning my Mum found Dad laying on the floor downstairs unconsious. Unfortunately, with me being in Warrington, all I could do was listen over the telephone helplessly whilst we rushed to pack something in our bags quickly and get back to the North East.

It was the most horrendous telephone call and drive I have ever endured. Having telephoned an ambulance, they took over an hour to attend whilst my Mum sat next to my Dad painfully knowing that every minute counts when someone has suffered a stroke, as the longer it is left unattended the more damage occurs.

Dad was taken to North Tees Hospital and given a drug which tries to break up the clot. However, in giving him this it then caused another bleed in his brain which was pushing the left side of his brain into the centre. This was just the beginning of our nightmare ... we were told he needed to be rushed to James Cook Hospital to have a craniotomy to save his life. When we arrived at James Cook, we were taken into a small room to have the worst conversation imaginable with the surgeons. We were asked what Dad would have wanted in regards to his quality of life. They informed us that he may not be concious again and if he was, he wouldnt be able to understand or recognise us let alone have any mobility. They said the Les we knew and loved was already gone. If Dad didn’t have surgery he would have died. We opted for the surgery & left it to fate...

Dad surpassed all of the doctors expectations and none of the medical experts thought that he would survive the surgery. They thought that if he did he would not have recovered anymore than 20%. Dad was a Royal Marine when he was younger and is very strong willed and I honestly believe that this is what has helped him be so determined... Dad was in the high dependency unit following the surgery and barely conscious. Nonetheless, he amazed us every time Molly visited as he would wake up and hold out his “good hand” to Molly squeezing her hand with the tightest grip whilst she told him how she loved him and just wished for her Grandad to get better and get home from hospital.

After a few weeks Dad was able to eat and sit in a wheelchair... again, much to the doctors disbelief.

Unfortunately, his speech is non existent as the damage is on the left side of his brain which affects speech amongst everything else. Dad cannot move the right side of his body and anyone that knows my Dad knows he is an active guy... whether it be out walking the dogs a couple of time a day or running around after Molly, he is always on the go. Dad is currently awaiting his cranioplasty surgery to rebuild the part of his skull that was removed to save his life. This comes with major risks again and another major worry but a challenge we know Dad will push through...

On 16th February, our beautiful Sofia entered the world in the same hospital where Dad (her grandad) was trying so hard to recover...

Dad meeting Sofia is a moment we all will treasure forever, as there was times we didn’t think Dad would ever get to meet his precious Sofia...

Dad just wants to recover the best he can to enjoy time with his wonderful family.

My parents have been together for over 39years. My Mum was 16 when she met my Dad and to go from a wonderful marriage looking forward to their retirement in Warrington with us, to not being able to have even a short conversation or a simple “I love you” is so hard to comprehend. My Mum’s life is my Dad and the recovery is now their marriage...

Dad is currently at Walkergate Park, which is an amazing NHS rehabilitation Centre in Newcastle upon Tyne. The facility is great and staff are fantastic. At the moment, they are only able to offer my Dad a budgeted level of rehabilitation until September 2019 at which point they will review progress again but it is clear that regardless of their intentions, the NHS is limited. I want my Dad to have the best chance, without limitations and intense rehabilitation is what he needs to be able to walk (even short distances) and talk again (I love you). Having researched further, there are private rehabilitation centres we can send Dad to but these are anything like £10,000 plus per week... this example would give Dad approx. 5 hours therapy a day which is at least what he needs.

Between us and my Mum, we are going to put as much money towards this as possible and we are hoping that anything extra we can get through fundraising will also help towards this and my Dad’s rehabilitation.

Our hope is that we can at least get Dad walking again and possibly being able to put sentences together. This way, Dad might get to eventually have a quality of life following his retirement that he was expecting or close to what he thought he might have had...

I really appreciate the time you’ve taken to read our story and hope no one has to ever experience this nightmare. All support is greatly appreciated whether it be by donations, fundraising or just supporting us and helping spread the word on what we’re trying to do.

Our journey to recovery is just starting... and we have lots in the pipeline in respect of fundraising.

The first event being a walk to Walkergate Park, Saturday 20th July 2019. A 30mile walk from Dads home town of Hartlepool (starting at Hartlepool United Football Club) to the rehabilitation centre in Newcastle - wish us luck!

We feel a sponsored walk is the best way to start our fundraising because walking is something we all take for granted and something my Dad now dreams about...

Please help me get my Dad back x