A mum-of-two has set out to create a lasting legacy in memory of her beloved father.

Michelle Lowery was just eight years old when her father, Brian Glaister, had two heart attacks followed by a stroke.

Brian, who was just 38 at the time, was hospitalised for six months, and the stroke left him paralysed on one side of his body.

And the Whitehaven mum, now aged 37, said it had a huge impact on her family.

“Dad went from being a physically healthy man to being unable to walk or talk,” said Michelle.

“He even initially found it hard to recognise me and my sister, Joanne, who was 11 at the time. It had a huge effect and we had to all go through counselling.

“It was a long road to recovery for Dad when he returned home, and we all had to quickly adapt to the sudden change in our lives.”

Brian was forced to take early retirement from his job as a sewerage operator. He required use of a wheelchair to get around and needed round-the-clock care.

Thanks to the support of his family – including Michelle’s mum, Margaret – Brian was slowly able to build up his strength and was able to walk again.

However, in September 2020, Brian suddenly fell unwell and was rushed to hospital.

Michelle, who works as a personal banker for Santander, said: “They found that Dad had contracted sepsis and his organs were failing.

“He was taken to intensive care and he went into cardiac arrest. He was able to be revived, but then suffered another which he couldn’t recover from.

“It was awful to experience and all just so sudden. The hardest thing was that we didn’t get the chance to say goodbye to him before he died. Being his youngest daughter, I was always a daddy’s girl, and I will miss him forever.”

The tragic loss means that Brian won’t be able to see his two grandchildren and Michelle’s daughters, Isabella (5) and Phoebe (2), grow up. He was aged 67 when he sadly died.

While coping with her dad’s death, Michelle decided she would do something positive in his memory and create a legacy to remember her father by.

So she has set herself a host of challenges and will be raising money for the British Heart Foundation (BHF) in his memory.

Michelle’s fundraising activities will include scaling Scafell Pike with her colleagues from Santander’s Whitehaven branch. They will hold the event on June 8.

Michelle also plans to hold a bucket collection at Whitehaven RLFC’s home game against Batley Bulldogs on Saturday June 13.

Brian was an avid Whitehaven fan and would be a regular visitor to the club’s Recreation Ground, now known as the LEL Arena.

Brian was also a committee member for amateur rugby league club, Hensingham ARLFC. The team has agreed to host a charity match against Kells ARLFC, in Brian’s memory and in aid of the BHF, on August 4.

To donate, visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/michelle-lowery1