My Story

Hi everyone,

This year, I’ve chosen to run the London Marathon to raise money for the National Autistic Society — a charity that means so much to me and my family.

My beautiful 8 year old little boy, River, was diagnosed with autism Aged 4 and ADHD aged 6, and the past few years of our lives have been completely turned upside down.

I wouldn’t change my life for the world. River is like an angel sent from God. He makes me, my wife, my youngest son Raffy, and everyone who knows him better people.

But the truth is… it’s hard. It’s really hard.

Before River, I knew nothing about autism. When we started to realise he wasn’t developing or behaving in the same way as other children his age, it honestly rocked me, really bad. Suddenly we were trying to navigate a world we knew nothing about.

I feel like I went through a period that I can only describe as grief, like almost grieving, I dont know what it was but it was very tough to process and I struggled — fear of the unknown, worry, helplessness, and so many other emotions I couldn’t explain.

I love my boys with all my heart, and while there are tough days, there are also so many beautiful ones. Families all over the world are navigating journeys like this, often feeling like they’re trying to do the impossible and have nowehere to turn.

That’s why I want to raise as much money as I possibly can for the National Autistic Society — so they can continue helping families who truly need support.

Even after years and years of getting to grips with everything, I am still terrible at writing and talking about River, I am sorry, I’ve just spent the last ten minutes crying writing this. Something just takes ahold of me and I just cry. I cry all the time. Hard to explain.

What I can promise you is this: I will give the London Marathon absolutely everything I have.

I’ll be wearing my National Autistic Society vest with pride. I’ve just come to the end my training plan now — and while the training was tough, the injuries hurt physically and the mental stress has been hard it’s nothing compared to what my little boy and so many others like him go through every single day.

I’m doing this for River.

For the National Autistic Society.

And for you everyone and anyone who has link to autism along with joys but also the struggles it brings.

I’ll make you proud.

Please donate what you can and please share my page. Thank you!