JAMIE JUMPS AT THE CHANCE TO RAISE CHARITY FUNDS IN DAD’S MEMORY

KBS Corporate data administrator Jamie Smyth is set to tick a thrilling experience off his bucket list – raising money for charity as a poignant first anniversary approaches.

On August 11th 2022, Jamie’s father, Michael, passed away suddenly from a cardiac arrest at the age of 56, shortly after returning home from a family holiday in Florida.

The British Heart Foundation is therefore a charity the family are naturally keen to support, with Jamie and his mum, Amanda, each taking on a fund-raising tandem skydive on July 24th in Michael’s memory.

Organised by the Black Knights Skydiving Centre based in Lancaster, the choice of activity was Amanda’s idea and Jamie needed little persuading to join in considering he loves to do “anything thrilling”.

“It’s something we have both always wanted to do,” explained Jamie. “Since my dad passed away, we have looked to support the British Heart Foundation in any way we can. We thought this summer would be a great chance to do the skydive whilst supporting a cause close to us.

“My mum has always said she would regret it if she never tried it and I love anything thrilling. Neither of us has done a skydive before, so we are as nervous as we are excited, but we know it will be an enjoyable experience.

“I personally am very excited because it’s a sort of thrill activity. The part I keep thinking about is the feeling of freefall – it’s something I’ve never experienced before, which does make me a little nervous, but I also cannot wait.

“My mum has booked for a camera to be filming her on the way down, which will make for an entertaining watch for the family.”

The goal is to raise £500 in donations as a result of the skydive and a strong start has been made in the hope of generating as much funding as possible for the British Heart Foundation.

“Losing my dad affected everyone he knew, not just his family,” said Jamie. “It was a hard loss to endure because he really was a rock and a wealth of knowledge to many people.

“I would love to see a time come when nobody has to worry about losing someone to cardiac issues and I’m hoping any donation we make to the BHF (no matter how large or little) will aid them in making these issues easier to detect and treat.”

Approaching a time of year which is sure to be emotional, Jamie was eager to pay tribute to those who have helped him through the ordeal of losing his father.

“I would love to thank my family,” he said. “It has been a hard year for all of us, but we have all pulled together and got each other through this so far.

“I would also like to thank my girlfriend, Whitney, for putting up with me on my worst days and helping me make the most of my best days. She has been very supportive through this trying time.

“Finally, I would like to thank K3 Capital Group. I see many fund-raising events coming through and I see K3 does a lot to help many different charities, and I think it’s very noble.”

If you would like to support the British Heart Foundation via Jamie and Amanda’s skydive, please visit: Amanda Edwards is fundraising for British Heart Foundation (justgiving.com)

** The photo above is the last one taken of Michael Smyth