Im Running the London Marathon in Memory of My Son, Shivraj

Dear friends and family,

On 27th April 2025, I will take on the biggest challenge of my life the London Marathon. But for me, this is more than just a run. Every step, every mile, is a tribute to my beautiful firstborn son, Shivraj Kumar Kohli.

Shivraj would have turned 10 years old on 26th January 2025, We should have been celebrating with cake, laughter, and endless hugs. Instead, we hold onto memories, missing him every day.

Shivraj was born on the 26th January 2015 a beautiful baby boy who filled our lives with so much love. But just four months later, we received devastating news: our precious son wouldn’t live long.

In those heart-wrenching months, we felt a pain we never thought possible, yet we were determined to cherish every single moment with our precious little boy, soaking in every smile, every touch, every fleeting moment. On 9th October 2015, as he lay in his mums arms, Shivraj smiled at Nina one last time before taking his last breath and becoming our angel forever.

After a difficult time, in 2017 we were blessed with our beautiful son Sai, and then our little cutie Khyle in 2020. Our boys have became our light, helping us heal and bringing us back to life, however the pain of loosing Shivraj is always there. People say time is a great healer but Nina and I have learnt to realise you never fully recover from such a deep loss you just learn how to manage the pain.

In honor of Shivraj’s first anniversary, I ran a 10-mile run, raising over £8,000 for Martin House Children’s Hospice. This incredible organisation provided us with vital support during our darkest days. What they did for us in our final days of saying goodbye to our first born was above and beyond what anyone could imagine. Helping us bath and dress Shivraj ready for his send off while we were so distraught, they picked us up from the floor and give us the strength we needed for his send-off. We are eternally grateful for every moment of time they dedicated to us and our beautiful boy Shivraj.

Now as I prepare for the London Marathon, I aim to raise more money for Martin House so that other families and parents suffering with similar heartaches receive the support they so desperately need just like Nina and I did 10 years ago.

Running this Marathon to raise money for Martin House is an absolute honour for me. I will represent Shivraj and wear the Martin house shirt with so much pride. It will simply be one of the hardest yet proudest moments of my life. I’m also doing this for my loving wife Nina who was broken after loosing our son, I hope no mother ever has to go through this but knowing the money I’ve raised will help parents in need will carry me through to the finish line.

Your support means everything to us. Together, we can honor Shivraj’s memory and make a meaningful difference in the lives of other families in need. Please consider donating to this important cause, allowing Martin House to continue their invaluable work.

Thank you for your kindness, generosity and loving support always

Shiv