A man is honouring his late father by raising awareness of suicide prevention in a 13-hour walk to his Rutherglen graveside.
Stewart Spence tragically lost his dad Charles Gordon Spence to suicide just before his 18th birthday on October 12.
Now 29, Stewart will embark on a 29-mile trek from his home in Stirling to Rutherglen Cemetery, marking the anniversary of his dad's death and as part of a fundraising effort for Andy’s Man Club, a charity dedicated to men’s suicide prevention.
Charles, 60, took his own life at their then-home in the village of Law, near Carluke, the Daily Record reports.
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Reflecting on the devastating day, Stewart said: “My dad committed suicide a month before my 18th birthday. I was at my work and I received a call from my mum telling me what had happened.
“When I arrived at the house, there were tons of police and paramedics that told me to go round to the back garden. That’s where I found my mum, sisters and aunties sitting with a police officer. My dad was lying dead in the hallway.
“It still affects me to this day.”
Now a father of two sons, Stewart Charles Gordon Spence, 8, and Noah Matthew Andrew Spence, 5, Stewart admits the pain of the suicide has deepened since becoming a parent himself.
He continued: “When my first son was born, that was when I started feeling the impact of his suicide even more because I felt all this love for my first child.
“I began thinking to myself, ‘Why did my dad do it? Did he not love me?’
“I thought having my own family would have helped me a bit, which it does in a way, but the reality of what happened with him really hit me when I became a dad myself.”
The anniversary of Charles' passing has always been a difficult time for the Stewart, who spoke on how the idea for the fundraiser came about.
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He continued: “Normally, on the day of my dad’s anniversary, I torture myself mentally. I’ve always found it really hard and I’ve always taken the day off work to go to his grave.
“I thought that starting the fundraiser would be something worthwhile and something he’d be proud of me for doing.”
The devastating loss of his father has hit Stewart hard, but he still looks back and remembers the happy memories with him.
“My dad loved horses. We had stables at the house and he’d look after them. I was always more into football, which he was probably a wee bit gutted about,” he joked.
“From as far back as I can remember, I used to get woken up at 3am by my dad to go to work with him at the scrapyard before I went to primary school. Once I finished school, I would go back out with him to his work. My full childhood was spent with my dad.”
“From as far back as I can remember, I used to get woken up at 3am by my dad to go to work with him at the scrapyard before I went to primary school. Once I finished school, I would go back out with him to his work. My full childhood was spent with my dad.”
By sharing his story and raising funds for Andy’s Man Club, Stewart hopes to help others facing the same struggles in their battle against suicide.
To donate to his fundraiser, visit his GoFundMe.
The Samaritans can be contacted any time, from any phone, free on 116 123, you can email jo@samaritans.org or head to the website. You can also speak to Victim Support Scotland on 0800 160 1985 who offer free and tailored support. In an emergency, always dial 999 if within the United Kingdom.
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