Capel Bangor brothers will take on two running challenges to raise money for the air ambulance and celebrate the birthday of their late brother.
Nine-year-old Cai Jones and his 16 year old brother Tomi will each take on their own running challenges this year, with Cai already having started his running event.
It has been almost eight years since the brothers lost then five year old Ned, who died in a car crash in 2016.
According to their mother, Sharon Jones, the two boys will face challenges that will push both of their abilities.
Cai will be running 13 miles this week, tackling up to two miles everyday.
His aim is to complete the challenge on 2 March, his brother’s birthday. In order to do that, he started his challenge on Saturday 24 February.
As Cai takes on this week-long challenge, Tomi is preparing to take part in the Aberystwyth 10k later this year.
Tomi has been part of the juniors team in the Aberystwyth Athletics Group since he was seven.
Not only will this be his first competition to run as a senior, but it will be across a distance two times longer than he has attempted before.
Despite the challenges they face, the brothers feel confident about the events they face.
Nine-year-old year old Cai said: “I’m looking forward to starting the challenge this weekend, to raise money for the air ambulance and for Ned.”
Tomi said: “I’m really proud of the amount we have raised so far and I’m looking forward to start training for the Aber 10k.”
The loss of their brother Ned affected Cai and Tomi in their own ways, but both found it ‘tough.’
Sharon said: “Each of the boys have had a different experience after Ned’s death.
“Tomi remembers the friend and brother he’s lost. But for Cai, Ned’s memory lives on through the stories we tell of him, that causes him pain.”
On Good Friday, 2016, Ned got in the car with his grandmother to go on an Easter Egg Hunt. Their car was involved in a head-on collision. Ned’s grandmother and two adults in the other car died on impact. Ned was taken out of the car and paramedics from the Wales Air Ambulance fought to save his life. Despite their efforts, Ned died at the scene 40 minutes later. He was 5 years old, Tomi was 8 and Cai was a year and a half. This March, Ned would have turned 13.
This year they wanted to do something special to celebrate his birthday which led the brothers’ decision to take on their running challenges. Sharon said: “I was thinking about Ned over Christmas, and I wanted to do something to celebrate his birthday somehow. When I mentioned this to them, they came up with the ideas of doing these running challenges.”
The money the two boys raise will go towards the air ambulance.
The family set a target of £1,300, as Ned would have turned 13 this year, but despite only putting up a fundraising page in the last weeks, they have already passed their target, receiving over £1400 in donations.
If you would like to donate to the fundraiser, Search for Sharon Marie Jones on the JustGiving website or visit www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/sharonmarie-jones.