I was working as a medic in the Royal Navy at the time and was under a lot of negative pressure from my superiors.

Due to this and getting my wife and daughter through this terrible I didn't make my own grief a priority and so once I was posted elsewhere and things calmed down approximately 10 months later I had an experience which triggered PTSD and severe depression. I was off sick from work for 4 months, eventually underwent EMDR treatment as well as medication and was under the Naval mental health team for 9 months until I was medically discharged in Jan 2016.

Since then I have still struggled with the memory of my sons death but with occasional counselling and taking part in sports recovery as part of the Help for Heroes Gig Rowing Team I have now recovered and in a place where I want to help and inspire others to get through the same traumatic experience.

 

As I write this I am on the Isles of Scilly competeing in the World Championships.

I have wanted to help Sands to help others for some time now but until now haven't been in the right emotional state to do so. Sands is the forerunner in this area and would feel proud to be a part of it.