When family man Darren Phillips left his home in the early hours of the morning, his family did not realise it would be the last time they saw him.
In May 2019, the loving father-of-two went on his daily bike ride along Aberavon beach when sadly he fell off his bike and suffered a fatal heart attack.
The 51-year-old was later found by a dog walker passing by. Now his sons want to prevent the same tragedy happening to anyone else.
Read more: Thousands of pounds raised in memory of father-of-one Alex Evans who died after a rugby match
Accompanied by a loving group of family friends and local team Afan United Football Club, Ryan and Jack Phillips are hoping to install four defibrillators along the Aberavon promenade.
The brothers, who both play for the football club, made a passing comment about the need for the life-saving equipment which sparked the club into action.
The team alongside the sons and close friends of Darren are now set to take on a Three Peaks Challenge within 24 hours as part of their fundraiser attempts.
Although the heart attack the long-serving Tata Steel rigger sustained was considered so big that he did not suffer, nor would he have been saved by the device, his sons and those affected by the sudden loss now want to help prevent it happening to others in the future.
Ryan Phillips with Tom Richards alongside the first defibrillator set up along Aberavon Beach.
(Image: Ryan Phillips)
“I can’t put it into words when we found out, I just felt empty,” said Ryan Phillips.
“He was one of my closest mates, he just got on with everyone I knew, that’s who he was.
“He was mad, it makes me laugh when I think about him. He was such a character, not a day goes by where we don’t speak about him or miss him,” said the 25-year-old.
“It is such a busy promenade and unfortunately the extent of the heart attack my dad suffered meant he couldn’t be saved.
“The support for the idea has been huge, everyone has just really got behind and made it possible, I can’t get over how much help everyone has given.”
With each of the defibrillators being placed 600 meters apart the main aim is to ensure nobody is ever more than 300 meters away, making the life-saving devices as accessible as possible.
“I hope they never have to be used but even if it saves one life, it spares others from having to face what we have been through,” said Ryan.
“Darren was loved by many and the support and installation of these devices are a real sign of that.
“I can’t express enough how many people have helped us along the way, they know who they are and I just wanted to say thank you to them,” added the youngest son.
Ryan has worked closely with Tom Richards, an NHS worker who has helped drive the force behind the project after his father was diagnosed with a chronic heart condition.
With an expected 30 people tackling the challenge in Darren’s memory, the brothers hope to not only save lives but also raise awareness of how suddenly a loved one can be taken away.
His wife, Alison Phillips was the last person to have seen Darren before his tragic passing.
“Darren would be immensely proud of what his sons have achieved, he was such a family man and the boys were his life,” she said.
“He was adored by everyone who knew him and not a day goes by where we don’t miss him. It is a real tribute to his legacy that these devices have been set up by those who loved him.”
If you would like to support you can donate to their fundraiser here.
To get the latest email updates from WalesOnline click here
Read More
Related Articles
Read More
Related Articles
