A Daventry family is fundraising in memory of dad who died aged 26

An annual fundraising event returns to Northampton in honour of an ‘amazing dad and incredible husband’ who died aged 26 from an aortic dissection, a condition in which a tear occurs in the inner layer of the body's main artery.

A local woman and her family have been organising the event in honour of her husband, raising thousands of pounds for charity over the last few years.

Vickie Taylor, 37, has raised more than £20,000 for charity since her husband, Shaun Taylor, died four years ago.

She said: “It’s been an absolute rollercoaster. We’re incredibly lucky that we’ve got a really supportive family. The boys received a great deal of help through school. It’s not been easy but the fundraising has definitely kept us going. It’s given us something to keep his memory alive. It’s not been easy, but, four years later, we’re in a lot better position than we were before, and the boys are doing great.”

Shaun passed away in May 2019 following an aortic dissection. This happens as a result of the tear of the inner layer of the aorta, the large blood vessel branching off the heart.

“We still don’t know exactly what caused it. It is extremely rare in someone of his age and health. It can be genetic or hereditary, no one that we know of has had it and the children are now being tested yearly. I like to raise awareness of it because it can happen to anybody,” said Vickie.

To keep Shaun's memory alive, his family, wife and children, Oscar, nine, and Ethan, eight, have been raising thousands of pounds for charity every year.

“We’re a very big and close family. We all get involved. Everybody liked him. He was just a really likeable guy. He would do anything for anybody. He was just a genuinely nice guy, an amazing dad and an incredible husband.

“It sent such a shock through lots of people when he died, so we always have lots of people that come join us, support us and celebrate with us. It’s lovely to just be able to have a day when we can think about him,” said Vickie.

‘Shaun Taylor annual fun day’ is set to take place on Saturday, September 9, from 11am to 3pm, at Cold Ashby Playing Fields Association, on Stanford Road, in Northampton.

“It’s a beautiful site with a massive field. There’s an absolutely gorgeous children’s park there,” said Vickie.

The family is raising money for Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance Service through the fundraising event.

“It’s an amazing charity, one that my husband has always supported,” said Vickie.

The free one-day event includes live music and performances, bouncy castles, games, and small local businesses stalls showcasing their products.

“It’s a fun and a lovely day out, and to see families coming and enjoying themselves is just another massive thing we love as well. It's a great atmosphere,” said Vickie.

A bubble release is set to take place at the end of the event to celebrate life while listening to a song in memory of Shaun.

“We used to do balloons but I’ve seen so much about how it’s not environmentally friendly. I wanted to come up with something different,” said Vickie.