A proud daughter will pay tribute to her strong dad who lost his battle with motor neurone disease (MND) – by taking his hill-walking sticks on one last journey.
Gary Voce passed away, aged 81, from illness in November 2021 after bravely battling the illness since his late 70s.
A relay covering the entire Ayrshire coast is being organised in memory of Gary who took the crippling effects of MND in his stride – actively walking up hills, including munros, and his favourite climb, the Knockdolian, near his Ballantrae home.
Despite the illness taking away his ability to talk or eat, the great-grandad-of-two and grandad-of-four showed incredible strength and has been hailed as an inspiration as he stayed active up until he passed away.
Now daughter Sharon is appealing for keen walkers to cover the Ayrshire Coastal Path from Skelmorlie to Ballantrae, with the last leg heading up her dad’s much-loved hill for those living with MND.
Sharon told Ayrshire Live: “My dad continued to walk until the day he died.
“He was an inspiration who never gave up. I wrote a tribute for him before his funeral which was all about his physical and mental strength.
“He was a fighter until the very end, it was really the last fortnight of his life that he started to lose any quality of life but he battled on bravely.
“It is quite incredible how my dad took on this awful disease which took so much away from him but thankfully not his ability to keep moving.
“He was a total inspiration – when he died there were a lot of messages and tributes to him, he was very much a people person – he’d speak to the whole world if he could.
“He was always active throughout his life and he didn’t let his diagnosis stop him.”
Gary was diagnosed with Bulbar Onset MND which affects the upper body impacting on the ability to swallow foods and speech when he was 79.
Despite needing daily care, he was supported by his wife of 58 years, Jane, and Sharon and made it up a munro for his birthday – climbing up Geal Chàrn which is 625m.
However, it was his local hill which kept him on the move on a daily basis with his last walk coming in August 2021.
Sharon added: “He kept walking up the Knockdolian every day, he took his last walk on August 1 last year.
“During it he could tell he was struggling. He would always manage up in 40 minutes – this time it was 42 and he said, ‘I think I’m a bit slower now. We both walked up it together. We knew that every walk could be his last one.”
Sharon hopes to finish off the coastal relay by taking participants up the Knockdolian where she plans to leave a lasting memorial to her dad with the two hill-walking sticks being reunited at the summit.
She added: “It is going to be quite ambitious to do a relay from Skelmorlie to Ballantrae.
“It will take 14 hours and we want to get as many participants as we can.
“We are looking for runners and walkers to cover two miles of the coastal path at each point along the way.
“We will finish off in Ballantrae – my dad’s hill-walking sticks will be used at the batons; they will both be taken up the Knockdolian and both will meet there in tribute to him.”
An online fundraiser has been set up with the funds going to rugby hero Doddie Weir’s charity, set up by the former Scotland ace who continues to live with MND.
Sharon added: “We always followed Doddie’s story and before my dad was diagnosed he saw him on the telly and said, ‘I’ve got MND too, his voice is the same as mine’.
“We want to support others going through this awful disease and hopefully it makes my dad proud because he made all of us so proud of him."
Sharon’s’ plans have been backed by a local walking group and Ayrshire Coastal Path organisers.
The event will take place on Saturday, May 14.
Ballantrae pub The Kings Arms will be putting on food with entertainment provided by Davie Anderson.
A public Facebook group has been set up for those interested in getting involved and you can donate to the Just Giving for the My Name'5 Doddie Foundation here.
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