Exercising can do wonders for physical and mental wellbeing, especially when done with friends. For Kurt Wilkie, cycling has helped him cope with the loss of his son Ethan.
Electrical operations supervisor Kurt signed up for RAFA Rides to push himself and take on a new challenge.
Sixteen-year-old Ethan was knocked off his bike last year and passed away shortly afterwards.
“When we got to the hospital, the doctors told us there was no brain function and it was only the machines keeping him alive, which was devastating to hear,” said Kurt.
Kurt and his wife Vicky made the heartbreaking decision to let Ethan go, but not before he was able to donate some of his organs.
“One of his kidneys went to a teenager, similar in age to Ethan, who had been on the transplant list for quite a long time. The other went to someone who, again, had been on the list for a long time. We’re definitely glad we managed to donate his organs and to have something good come out of this,” said Kurt.
Following Ethan’s death, Kurt’s friend Gary, who works for NATS in Swanwick, encouraged him to start exercising again, starting off with some small local running events.
Gary then suggested Kurt join him and some work colleagues to take on RAFA Rides Your Way, where teams and individuals can create their own events, choose their own date, start time, location and distance.
“Gary suggested getting something booked in where I could push myself a bit more. I hadn’t cycled properly since I was a kid. It’s given me something to train for which has been quite good,” said Kurt.
“Gary has been helping me a lot with losing my son in terms of getting me out exercising and getting me out of my bike. It’s been a good coping mechanism. He’s been a godsend, really.”
Find out more and sign up for RAFA Rides
