The wife of dad-of-three, Dean Mollard, who died in May 2021, is training for the endurance obstacle challenge Tough Mudder, to raise funds for two charities in Dean’s memory.
Dean died last year, aged 33, from a ruptured aortic valve, having been given the all-clear from prostate cancer just eight days earlier. He had also previously beaten testicular cancer before his second diagnosis.
Dean’s wife, Sam, said, “We had been together since we were 16 years old, and have three amazing little girls together.
“We met in college, and our first date was a trip to see a horror film at the cinema. He was trying his best to impress me with how brave he was, but he jumped so high in one scene that he threw his popcorn all over me. I never let him live it down.”
Dean, who beat cancer twice, was rushed to Wythenshawe Hospital after suffering from heart problems. He underwent open heart surgery for 12 hours to repair a ruptured aortic valve, before being transferred to intensive care. He sadly died the following morning with childhood sweetheart, Sam, by his side.
Sam, who lives in Upton, continued, “Dean would take any opportunity to help other people, and he was forever helping friends and family if they needed anything, so I know that he would want to raise money for these charities.
“I also know how incredibly funny he would find me doing something like Tough Mudder. I’ve never done anything like this before, and the thought of being cold, wet, muddy, and running, just fills me with dread, but knowing he would take the challenge by the horns makes me determined to do the same.”
Taking place on 11 September, the 5k and 10k assault courses set out to test runners to the limits of their strength and resilience, with a combination of running and obstacles to overcome.
Joining Sam at the starting line are friends and colleagues from The Accountancy Partnership, based in Birkenhead, where Sam works in the payroll team.
“I was so fortunate to have my amazing family and friends help me over the last year. I also had so much support from the team at TAP that coming back to work didn’t feel impossible, helping me to deal with the many changes that me and my girls now face,” Sam said.
“When I mentioned that I wanted to do this to raise money in memory of Dean, they immediately offered to pay my entrance fees, as well as for any colleagues who wanted to join me. There are about 35 of us so far, with one of our team leading training sessions in the work gym twice a week.”
To donate: Dean’s memorial page on JustGiving includes links to the two charities that Sam and her colleagues are raising funds for: Prostate Cancer UK, and British Heart Foundation.
Paying tribute to her husband, Sam said, “Dean was my soul mate, first love, and best friend. He was a fantastic daddy and his little girls adored him. He was my rock, and I will cherish the 17 years we had together. I take comfort in the knowledge he’ll always be with me and our girls.”
Image: (L) Dean with the kids (R) Dean and Sam Mollard
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