Aaron Mclaughlin

[p]So I’m sitting here with a tear in my eye writing this. It’s just two days until my birthday 11/11 Remembrance Day a day I will always remember because it’s the last time I ever cuddled and kissed my handsome brother Kirk. 10 days later he took his own life on the 21st of November 2017 a day I will never forget. This time of year is hard for me very hard because it’s when all the family gather and get together for birthdays and Christmas but my brother Kirk will never be able to do that again. Kirk served 12 years in the parachute regiment fighting in Northern Ireland and Afghanistan something I am very very proud of him for he was my hero and always will be. He was medically discharged from the army because of a bad hip and also his ptsd which slowly deteriorated throughout he’s time once he left he found daily tasks very hard and didn’t trust many people and became a recluse struggled to work and do things he enjoyed. The charity ssafa was there for him they payed for his special bed he needed his cooker and courses so that he could study his art work because he was an amazing artist of which 11 days before he died he had won an award for a painting he had done so I am very grateful to them for the help and support they gave him. Ssafa is the UK’s oldest national tri service charity giving life long support to serving soldiers veterans and family members and they do an amazing job. So once again I am going to be challenging myself as I was very lucky to be given a place in the London marathon 2020 running the 26.2 miles once again for this wonderful charity. This year I ran and I absolutely loved it raising just short of £7,000 I would love to do the same again to help all who are suffering. The marathon also gave me great focus in life and helped me in my times of struggle when I was missing my big brother Kirk. On the 21st of this month it will be 2 whole years since he has gone and not a day goes by when I don’t cry and miss him like mad but this is my way of giving back and keeping strong so please please support me on my journey. God bless you all and god bless you my big brother Kirk I miss you so so much xxxxxxxx G.stock xxxxxxxx[/p]