Brother will be 'angel on shoulder' for ultra walk

A man taking on a 100km (62.1-mile) challenge through the South Downs in memory of his younger brother says he will be the "little angel on my shoulder" throughout the trek.

Sam Herschell, from Camberley in Surrey, will walk a winding route from Eastbourne to Arundel, in honour of Tom, who died in 2002 aged 16.

At two years old, Tom was diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a muscle wasting condition. Sam is taking part in the South Coast Ultra Challenge to raise funds for Muscular Dystrophy UK.

Sam, 46, said: "Tom was never down, never cried, never moaned and was always happy and smiling despite everything... I hope he'd be proud of me. He'll be my little angel on my shoulder."

He added: "I miss playing football together. I'd throw the ball up for a header or he'd charge towards the goal in his wheelchair.

"Just because he had a disability didn't mean he couldn't do it, he loved playing wheelchair football."

He added that Tom, who was diagnosed after he started regularly falling, was an avid football and Manchester United fan.

Sam has already completed a number of fundraising efforts in memory of his brother, including running the London Marathon.

The South Coast Ultra Challenge begins on Saturday in Eastbourne, and participants will walk past Seven Sisters and Beachy Head before reaching Arundel on Sunday with an overnight stop in Brighton.

Sam said his brother would have "thought he was mad" for taking on the challenge, adding: "The impact my brother had on me is still very much with me.

"I look for the positive in everything, which inspired me to fundraise for a good cause."

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