A terminally-ill grandmother who was told she had a week to live has parachuted from a plane in memory her footballer son who was killed on a night out in Nottinghamshire. Melanie Tait, a former police detective, said she "absolutely loved every minute" as she leapt from a plane at 10,000ft (3,000m) to raise money for the Jordan Sinnott Foundation Trust.
It comes as Mrs Tait, a grandmother of three from Bradford, launched the charity to honour her son after his tragic death. Bradford-born footballer Jordan Sinnott was just 25 when he died in hospital after a brutal assault in Retford in January 2020.
Jordan was playing for Matlock Town at the time of his death. He also played for other clubs including Alfreton Town, Chesterfield, Halifax Town and Huddersfield Town. He was also loaned to Altrincham FC and Bury FC.
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The horrific attack left his family heartbroken - and those responsible for the tragedy are serving time behind bars. Mrs Tait, 54, who was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer in August last year, said that Jordan's death is the "worst thing that ever happened to me in my life".
Only a few months ago, in December last year, she was told that she had a week to live. "After the second chemo, I was just very ill", she recalled.
Mrs Tait added: "I thought those were supposed to be side effects. It is one of the most aggressive chemo that you can have. But then I realised I had not eaten for five days and I had not drunk anything. I knew I was dying."
She called her oncologist nurse, and went to hospital saying her body 'was just giving up'. "I asked him what the prognosis is because I have got a family and I need to tell them.
"He asked me 'what do you think' - and I said well, I am dying. And he said yes, you are. He said I am looking at days, maximum a week."
But Mrs Tait said she "would not have been able to die in peace" after seeing how the news affected her eldest son, who visited her in hospital. "I started to drink more protein shakes.
"Week by week I got fitter and fitter. And then I was not long before I was up to 10,000 steps a day."
The cancer came as a shock for Mrs Tait, who said she was in a bikini on holiday just six weeks before diagnosis. "I do a lot of sports, and I am athletic.
"I completed a 25 mile walk and had no symptoms whatsoever", she added. Mrs Tait said she was diagnosed with a "very rare form of sarcoma cancer" when a number of scans revealed a 35 centimetre tumour in her tummy area.
It was the diagnosis that made her want to jump from a plane in a 120 miles an hour freefall. "It was not frightening at all", she added.
"I absolutely loved every minute of it. I think when you have been faced with so much devastating loss, you have a different outlook on life.
"You can either sit at home and do nothing of your life, or you can make every bit of your life count. Which is the sort of person I am - the charity is at the forefront of my mind, and I have also got a surviving son.
"And I am also a grandma - and I am going to be a grandma again in August. Nobody knows when they are going to die. And I am still here - I am waking up every morning. I just want my life to be a purpose."
As well as helping young people follow their dream in sports, part of the charity is also building a legacy for Jordan's daughter who never met her dad. His partner, Kelly Bossons, discovered she was pregnant just days after Jordan’s funeral and their daughter, Maisie Jordan Sinnott, will turn three years old in September.
"She gets to know who Jordan is. The charity is all about him - and maybe when she will look back she is going to see what everybody thought of her daddy."
His legacy goes beyond the charity, said Mrs Tait, as he saved seven people's lives by having his organs donated according to his wish. The charity funds people passionate by sports who struggle financially. "I am not talking just the UK, but also in Africa where they are wearing shirts and naming trophies after Jordan", his mum added.
She revealed that her next plan is to try wing walking - which is the act of moving along the wings of an aeroplane during flight, sometimes transferring between planes. Jordan's fiancée, Kelly Bossons, who lives in the Mansfield area, has added: "This is something that she has always wanted to do, but she took this opportunity to raise money for the charities too."
Speaking of Mrs Tait, she added: "She is just amazing. I have never met anyone who is so positive. We have faced so much as a family and she is just amazing."
At the time of writing, Mrs Tait's jump has raised more than £5100 to be split between the Jordan Sinnott Foundation Trust and Macmillan Cancer Support. Katherine Booth, Fundraising Manager for Macmillan in Nottingham, said: “It’s thanks to incredible supporters like Melanie that we’re able to continue funding vital cancer support services so we can be there for people living with cancer. From the nurses on our support line, to the local welfare benefits teams helping people cope with the cost of cancer, our services rely on people like Melanie and every penny makes a difference.”
John Rullo, Fundraising Manager for Macmillan Cancer Support, said: “Melanie is an incredibly inspirational lady and it was our honour that she decided to take part in our charity skydive, the Macmillan ‘Jump of Their Lives’. Despite facing such personal tragedy and her diagnosis, she continues to inspire those around her with her positivity and selfless nature.
"We are so grateful to Mel who helped us raise more than £57,000 as part of the skydive to help Macmillan continue to provide critical services to people living with and affected by cancer. Macmillan support is still available and I urge anyone in need of cancer support to call the Macmillan 0808 00 00, it’s open 7 days a week, 8am-8pm, or visit Macmillan’s website or Online Community. www.macmillan.org.uk.”
