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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
Entertainment
Chris Knight & Frances Kindon

Sophie Gradon's boyfriend Aaron Armstrong to be honoured at boxing memorial

Sophie Gradon's boyfriend, Aaron Armstrong, will be remembered by friends at a special boxing memorial held in his honour.

The keen boxer took his own life just 20 days after finding his Love Island star girlfriend's lifeless body in her parent's home in Ponterland, Northumberland.

And now his loved ones have unveiled plans to pay tribute to the 25 year old - who was found dead in his bedroom in Blyth, Northumberland, by mum Donna on July 10 last year.

Boxers will square off in the ring at Blueprint Health and Fitness in Cramlington in a bid to take home the Aaron Armstrong belt at the fundraising evening.

She said: "Aaron wanted to do a fundraiser for Sophie, and I think this is the way they would have wanted me to go on.

"They would be the first people to do something if the shoes were on the other foot.

“I'm hoping this is just the start of something we can do to help."

Both Donna, 53, and David, 55, both feel more needs to be done to support families rocked by suicide.

Donna said: “There's very little help out there for families.

“It is not a normal bereavement for the parents and siblings left behind. The police didn't even know where we should go [for support].

Aaron's sudden passing prompted the family to reach out to If U Care Share - the Chester-le-Street based charity working for prevention, intervention, and to support families affected by suicide.

Inspired by meeting charity founder Shirley Smith, Donna is now determined to ensure a similar support network is put into place in Northumberland.

If U Care Share currently operate around Tyneside, and Donna hopes her involvement and fundraising efforts such as the memorial boxing tournament could help extend the charity's influence in the North East.

Donna said: “They do a fantastic job for prevention as well as supportive for families, but they need the funding to send people into Northumberland.

“They have been trying really hard to get into this area and we're trying to help as much as we can to get something like this.

“I'm definitely going to work alongside them in future. I think it will help my therapy and David and Ryan's too going forward.

He was planning a memorial to honour Sophie (mirror.co.uk)
"You know he's the one" Sophie Gradon posted this heartwarming video with boyfriend Aaron Armstrong just weeks before their deaths

"It's about a positive coming out of a negative."

Long-term, Donna is not sure whether the family's fundraising efforts will see them work for If U Care Share full-time or setup their own charity to serve Northumberland.

But there is one thing she is certain on - Aaron's legacy will be a positive and will live on.

Donna finished: "I'm hoping we can help avoid this situation for other families.

"It might be uplifting to see some good come out of this."

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