A brave Wishaw mum is facing her fears to raise cash for an anti-knife crime charity in tribute to her late son.
Kellyann Berry will be taking on a skydive in memory of her son Sean Ford, on the weekend of what would have been his 18th birthday.
Sean was murdered, aged just 15, in March 2020 by Connor McMath. McMath is now serving a minimum 15-year sentence for stabbing Sean to death in a horrific, unprovoked attack.
Kellyann, her partner Eddie Shannon and 19-year-old son Aidan, will skydive from 10,000 feet on June 18, just two days after Sean, should have celebrated the important milestone.
A petrified Kellyann admitted: “I don’t like heights! The more I think about the more scared I am but I wanted to do something that really challenged me.
“I think Aidan and Eddie are a bit scared as well but they just laugh about it. That’s not happening for me, I’m worried.
“But I’m doing it for Sean, so there’s no doubt I’ll be on that plane.”
The trio will be fundraising for Steel Warriors, a charity that melts down knives taken off the streets and recycles the steel into outdoor community gyms .
Their vision is to build a UK-wide network of gyms and a movement which empowers young people to succeed in life and create safer communities.
“When we were looking for a charity to fundraise for, many of them received government funding,” said Kellyann.
“I think the Steel Warriors initiative is fantastic and is doing something constructive.
“Since Sean has passed, Aidan has really threw himself into the gym and that has really helped him focus, so it was an easy decision for us to back Steel Warriors.”
Sean lost his life in a property on Charles Street, Craigneuk.
He was rushed to the nearby Wishaw General, but died a short time later.
However, his memory lives on and his family and friends recently gathered to mark the two years since his death with a balloon launch.
Donations to Kellyann’s skydive can be made here.
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