A brave sister act is taking a 165ft leap of faith in memory of their beloved dad.
Fiona Moss and Diane O’Donnell lost their dad James Jamieson last January after he suffered a sudden heart attack.
Now the sisters have decided to do something courageous in his memory to help other families affected by heart conditions.
On June 14 they are abseiling 165ft from the Forth Bridge to raise vital funds for Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland.
The night Jim passed away he had been experiencing stomach pain and was being sick.
Overnight the 73-year-old St Leonards man suffered a massive heart attack and sadly Fiona and Diane lost their dad.
The family later discovered that stomach pain and sickness can be a sign of a heart attack.
The sisters want to raise awareness of the lesser known signs as well as raising vital funds to support other families.
Fiona, 48, from Lindsayfield, said: “From the instant my dad died, all of our lives changed.
“It is beyond comprehension to anyone who has not gone through something similar just how difficult it is.
“The sudden heartbreak you feel is literally like your heart has been broken in two.
“We decided after a very hard first year that we wanted to do something meaningful to help others but also to give us something to look forward to and make us smile again.
“I’m feeling a bit nervous and apprehensive but knowing that I’m doing this for my dad will help me through.
“We have a history of heart problems in our family and have lost lots of family members to heart attacks.
“We are determined to help other families and raise awareness of the signs through our fundraising.”
Signs and symptoms of heart attack can include pain in your chest, neck, jaw, back and down your arms, feeling or being sick, grey pallor, hot and sweaty, shortness of breath and dizziness.
Diane, also 48, from Hamilton, added: “Life changed so suddenly when my dad passed away.
“We were all struggling with the grief and the massive change that came with not having him around every day.
“Instead of having someone to depend on for most things you suddenly become the person who is depended upon.
“You realise how much that person did for all the family. Nothing is ever the same. We want to raise money for a great cause while also doing something a bit ‘out of the box’ to remind us of our dad.”
Jane-Claire Judson, chief executive at Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland, said: “Fiona and Diane are doing something unforgettable to remember their dad and help other families.
“We will be there in June cheering them on and I’m sure for them it will be a day their family can treasure forever.
“They are also spreading an important message that people should understand the symptoms of heart attack and know what signs to look out for.
“People need to be vigilant and if you suspect a heart attack at all, call 999 immediately.”
Support the sisters in their quest by visiting their JustGiving pages: justgiving.com/fundraising/Fiona-Moss8 and justgiving.com/TheAteam2020
