A man who said to friends and family "don't forget me" days before losing his battle with cancer has been honoured by his loved ones. Lee Clarke, 50, was a "loving and caring" man to those that knew him.
Lee, from Humberston, Lincolnshire, sadly passed away in February 2022 after a short period of illness, leaving his loved ones devastated by his death. They honoured him by taking a cardboard cut-out of him on a trip to Skegness that was planned before he passed away, reports GrismbyLive.
A group of Lee's friends from cycling, school and work are planning to take on the National Three Peaks challenge in his memory, climbing Ben Nevis in the Highlands, Scafell Pike in England and Mount Snowdon in Wales in the space of 24 hours.
Lee's cycling pal, Louise Needham, and a group of eleven others will be led by Joseph Nutall, whom Lee worked with, on the challenge. The aim is to raise money for the Health Tree Foundation for the Amethyst Ward garden at Grimsby Hospital.
She said: "On May 11, we'll be travelling up to Scotland by minibus which Lee's former employer Dunlop have kindly paid for before staying overnight near Ben Nevis in a hotel organised by Bromcom Computers. On Friday, May 12, we'll be taking on the first peak, led by Joseph Nuttall who worked with Lee."
"Our aim is to complete the challenge in 24 hours. I am excited about it, but at the same time it's a big challenge to take on so I'm also very nervous. Thankfully we've got a team of people around us."
Work has been done with the foundation to renovate the garden near the ward, so that families can access it all-year round, something Lee was keen to see happen. "Lee's wish was for it to be used and the hope is that we can get it open and make it a place for people to enjoy," Louise said.
Louise told of how she first met Lee thanks to their shared love of cycling, but that the last time they got the chance to ride together was before the 50-year-old started his treatment
"The last bike ride Lee came on was the end of 2020 before he went in for surgery and chemotherapy. At the start of 2021, they said they were withdrawing his treatment because there was nothing they could do. It was the start of the end for Lee and after that he went quite quickly.
"He was really close to his friends and family and spent the last few weeks in his Uncle Peter's house surrounded by them. Above all else though, Lee had one message for those he was leaving behind. 'I don't want to be forgotten, do not let people forget me' he said. That's why we're all doing so much, to keep his memory alive.
"Lee was very caring and a loving person. Despite what he was going through, he would always check on us to make sure we were alright. He was only tiny, but he had the biggest personality and loved to socialise."
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