A Nottinghamshire man is raising funds to help provide a weekend of free heart scans in Nottingham after the sudden death of his brother. Olie Sheppard, from Mansfield, cycled 810 miles from John O'Groats to London days before completing the London Marathon, raising more than £5,000 in the process.
The remarkable effort is part of a fundraiser set up after the unexpected death of his older brother, James, in April 2021. The 30-year-old who was living in Sherwood passed away from Sudden Arrhythmic Death Syndrome (SADS).
SADS is when someone dies suddenly and unexpectedly from a cardiac arrest, but the cause of the cardiac arrest can't be found. "He was very calm and laid back, he was straight and honest and a really great guy," said Olie, a 31-year-old joiner.
How well do you know King Charles III? Take our quiz
"Nobody ever had a bad word to say about him, he was brilliant. He got took too soon."
James' family and partner Sophie Turner have so far raised £12,300 of their target of £13,500, which would allow them to put on a weekend of echocardiograms in Sherwood. "It's for people at the age who are susceptible to suffer cardiac conditions," said Olie.
"James just dropped dead in the shower one Saturday morning. It was completely undiagnosed, he was fit and healthy and had no problems at all, it just happened."
It took Olie six days to cycle from John O'Groats to London, giving him just days to go until the start of the marathon, which he completed in five hours and 20 minutes. "It was tough, the most physical thing I've done in my life," he said.
"I'm by no means an athlete, I'm just a joiner from Mansfield. It was something I've needed to do and it's done really well fundraising wise.
"I couldn't fail, I knew there was a lot riding on it and I just battled on and got the job done basically. My legs locked up after seven miles and it was really tough after that. "
James would think I'm completely nuts." Click here to view the fundraiser.
READ NEXT:
- Mystery over future of pub that locals say has 'suddenly' closed
- Judge orders destruction of dangerous dog after attacks
- Councillor re-elected despite court conviction says 'we all make mistakes'
- Investigation into restaurant after carbon monoxide alarm triggered
- Nottingham school where children ‘treat each other with kindness’ has turned itself around
