Parents have been left heartbroken after losing two of their children in the same year.
David Christopher, 45, and Louise Russell, 54, from Scotland, lost their two adult children after dying just months apart.
Stepdad David and mum Louise first lost their son Ciaran, 29, who tragically took his life in December 2020, EdinburghLive reports.
Their son left behind his three children aged eight, five and three.
David said: "We didn't know anything was wrong. He was talking about getting a new job, looking for a new house and had just started driving lessons.
"We just got the knock on the door at nighttime. It was devastating.
"I didn't know a person could make a noise like Louise made that night. Just the screams that came out of her."
David said they had noticed Ciaran was feeling down but never suspected it was serious.
He added: "He had been down but nothing we thought was too serious. He seemed happy to us and like he was looking forward to life."
Then only months after Ciaran lost his life, his sister, Siobhan, 33, passed away after suffering health complications because of alcohol addiction.
In June 2021, Siobhan was admitted to hospital with pneumonia but was told she had just 48 hours to live.
Siobhan lived past the doctor's prediction and was checked into a rehab centre and had successfully not had a drink in over six months.
On October 20 Siobhan underwent surgery for esophageal varices - a condition often triggered by liver disease that causes the veins in the esophagus to enlarge.
Soon after, Siobhan complained of headaches and was rushed to hosital after collapsing at her grandmother's house on October 27.
Siobhan had contracted sepsis due to complications with the surgery and soon after she passed away.
David said: "Every family meal, Christmas or birthday since then has just been like there has been people missing. I still can't get my head around it.
"We were still grieving my son when that happened. It's hard enough losing one child but two within a year."
Now the couple plan to take on the gruelling North coast 500 walk around Scotland in their memory.
As well as this, they plan to raise money for Crisis UK, Scottish Association for Mental Health, Papyrus UK, DrugFam and the Veterans Foundation.
David says that it will be tough both mentally and physically but believes that they are both up to the challenge.
He added: "We wanted to do something that's going to be challenging and a bit extreme to hopefully raise as much awareness as we can in their memory.
"We wanted to add to that by having the challenge of camping every night and carrying all of our gear."
If you would like to donate to their fundraiser, click here.
