SPONSORED SMILE ??????? got your attention !!!!!! well listen in and read on……

So it’s a personal story and a reason to try and increase awareness of something that will or have crept upon many of us. I’d ask for your attention and spare me five minutes as this will be the best thing you’ve read or equally five less minutes of watching trash on telly or another Facebook update from me on Ironman Training……..

So for this reason I’m writing a story which many of my friends will know about so bear with me and for those that don’t I hope that it’ll make a difference on their perspective on things…..

Seven years ago I lost my dad in what I see were tragic circumstances but in another way it was just one of many other tragic circumstances that’s crept upon many people in today’s society. 

I’ll never forget, nor equally understand the issues that led to my father’s rationale or reason for taking his own life.  And many of us never get that answer nor get under the skin of what people are feeling or get to ask those really hard questions that may well lead to someone getting the help they really need. 

I tried and tried and thought because I knew my dad so well that its dead easy, “he’ll come round” and “he’ll be okay” because he’s talking to his sons and we know him best. But believe me, and it’s taken long enough for me to come to terms with this that sometimes those closest ones aren’t always the best to talk to and specialist help is something that will really make the difference. 

Now that’s where the Samaritans comes into my life. I know my Dad with plenty of help from me and my brother had tried to help himself in the latter days. I think my dad had also reached out and equally the Samaritans had reached out to my dad to offer support. But in his darkest hours and those hours will haunt me forever he never reached out that one last time to someone just like me or the Samaritans who are always on the end of phone 24/7, may well have saved his life and many others since his passing. 

My wish and hope is that anyone who’s taken the time to read this so far will, one continue to read but equally spare a moment for many other people who are suffering with a feeling that there’s no one out there that can help them in their darkest hour. Even in the last few months I’ve seen people around me that have kept silent for too long. It’s nothing to be ashamed about by the way and I hope they felt the benefit of sharing their issues. 

I’ve spent a lot of time reflecting (seven years in all) and at times have also been in a very, very dark place myself dealing with those issues on a daily basis. Recently, having spoken to  and looking at the Samaritans great work they do for the good of everyone, it blows me away and brings a tear to my eye. I just wish and wish again and again that they’d got to my Dad before he did what he did and that rope he reached for was just left in the garage. But and this is a big but that they can’t always come and find you as these people are in the darkest place ever and support from any angle doesn’t even register with them……

You need to have the strength and with the added support from the Samaritans can then give that person the greatest advice to help them through those toughest times. And for all those that come through the other side then that’s just one more person who can go on and help support another person who desperately needs it. 

So it’s for this reason that I’m reaching out to all friends and contacts that mental awareness and the ability to just speak with people can make a massive difference when you think you can take it all onboard yourself and it’ll be alright. Well don’t bottle it up, reach out and speak to someone and for those who are suffering then just ask that simple question, are you okay today? as you may be surprised that they may just say “no” I’m not okay and would appreciate some time to chat it over.

Samaritans – is a great and worthy cause and charity who need continued donations as the numbers needing their support is rising at an alarming rate and is the one of the reasons that I’ll be participating in the Ironman UK event on the 14^th of July 2019 to raise the awareness of mental health issues.

So more importantly for those 140.6 miles (2.4 mile swim / 112 mile bike ride / 26.2 mile run) I’m going to promise a smile for every one of them and aim to increase my mental awareness and support for any person that ever needs just a simple chat, support or a smile to say it’s going to be okay.

Here’s to the Ironman 14^th of July 2019, Bolton. If you have a spare hour or two then please come down and give me and all those participating a cheer and a shout as the mental and physical work I’ll be putting in will only be helped more by those smiling back, chanting and cheering on the course!!!!!

I promise that for every mile I do there will be a smile on my face because I know that for every pound raised it will be for such a worthwhile charity. Just watch me on the course and when I hopefully hit that finish line on Sunday evening you’ll see the biggest smile that goes out to my Dad, god bless his soul…..

My motto that I hold “don’t let the mind tell the body what to do as the heart, passion and desire from within will make you an Ironman”