Dan Walton had a promising life ahead of him. A keen amateur boxer, recently turned pro, he was well-regarded, well-liked, and popular with many.
However, at just 23-years-old, Dan sadly took his own life on March 14, 2013. Now, on the 10th anniversary of his death, his mum, Maria Walton, has embarked on an incredible journey in his memory.
Together with her youngest daughter, Siobhan, 16, they are walking 100 miles from their native Birmingham to Dan's beloved Manchester United home ground, Old Trafford. At the time of writing, they have raised £1,771 for the mental health charity, Mind.
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Planning to arrive in Old Trafford this afternoon (March 23), they are hoping to raise all they can to help those who are suffering with their mental health.
"It was something I had always wanted to do, but I could never bring myself to do it," Maria, 56, said. "But, I just knew I needed to do this and I did it.
"I’m just trying and hoping to raise awareness and give hope to other people.
“When things are really tough and you feel like you can’t go on, keep taking that one step, keep going for one more day and things can get better and the sun will shine through and give you energy to keep going.”
She said she made the decision to get involved on Mother's Day (March 19), a day which can be particularly difficult for Maria. She said she took the step to 'walk alongside the pain', and has been supported by her family who have been popping up along the route.
Of Dan, she said: "He was well liked, he was very good hearted but he had the heart of a lion.
“He would stand up for other people, he did not like bullies. He was very caring and always stood up for the underdog.
“He touched so many lives.”
At his funeral, in 2013, she said over 500 people attended, including pop singer Tulisa. Roads were blocked off as hundreds of mourners paid their respects.
"The community was in grief," Maria said. "He was such a gentle, caring boy. I'm so proud that I have been chosen to be his mum.
She added that he idolised his little sister, Siobhan, who was just six-years-old when he died. "She was his little princess," their mum said.
The pair began their mammoth journey in Acocks Green in Birmingham, and have documented their journey on Facebook from wandering over fields in the middle of nowhere to meeting a United legend.
As they passed through Stoke, she phoned ahead to the Macari centre. There she met the legendary footballer. Of meeting Lou Macari, she said: “Meeting somebody like him who knows the pain of losing a child that way, as well as the legend that he is. We had something in common,” she said.
She said as they have been making their way north with the banner reading ‘Remembering our precious Dan’, passersby have been waving, blowing kisses and showing other signs of solidarity.
Others have stopped the mum and daughter duo and shared their own experiences. “When people have gone through difficulties, you can see it in their eyes, you can see the pain and you really connect with them. I feel so glad and honoured to do it,” she said.
Maria, a security officer for Birmingham Airport, and Siobhan will complete their 100 miles at the stadium this afternoon. “It’s been an absolutely amazing journey, tough physically, but it’s been so rewarding,” she said.
“I’m just so glad I’ve done it, I needed to do it for Dan. And I just hope we can make a difference to somebody’s outlook on life.”
As part of Mind’s ‘100 Miles in March’, Maria has raised £1,771 for the mental health charity, at the time of writing.
To donate to the fundraiser, click here.
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