Hi, we are Doug & Elizabeth Hall, some of my friends also know me by my first name Mark.

This Just Giving page is to raise funds for SADS UK, (www.sadsuk.org) so they can continue to raise awareness of Cardiac Arrhythmia, especially in the young, help save lives and in memory of our oldest son Ben who passed away very suddenly with Sudden Adult Death Syndrome.

I think without exception, any parent would say their son or daughter was fantastic, the best, but this does not just come from Ben's mum and me, it comes from all of Ben's family and friends that knew and loved him, Ben really was a lovely guy to be around.

Sunday the 13th of July 2003 started like any other Sunday morning. Ben got up, had a slice of toast, football strip on, (late as usual) so into his little green Fiesta car and away to play football with his mates and the team from their local pub, The Mill.

When Ben returned home after the match, he had a bite to eat, watched the previous nights boxing on TV, forty winks, then up stairs for a shower. When he came down his mum and I were in the garden and he came outside with us. At that time he mentioned he felt a little short of breath, but other than that wasn't showing any signs of actually being ill. Ben made a visit to the local shop for Lucozade then came back a little later, still not complaining of anything, but asked his mum for an 'Ice Pack' for his shoulder. Liz asked if he had been hurt playing football earlier, but he said he had not and that he had a sharp pain in the top of his right shoulder. Again Ben complained of being a little short of breath, Liz made him sit down and took his pulse. Quite calmly, as she didn't want to worry Ben, Liz called me through and told me his pulse was erratic. I could see she was more concerned than she was allowing her voice to show, and she told me to call the health help line for advice, while she her self contacted work to tell them she would be late as Ben wasn't feeling too well and she needed to make sure he was ok. 

I called NHS, gave all the details, name, DOB, address, basic symtoms etc then the nurse on the line asked me how was Bens general colour and temperature. Ben was lying on the settee pulling faces at me trying to make me laugh on the phone as I started to tell the nurse he was pale, but was usually pale so that was normal. I then continued to say jokingly 'he doesnt look as if he is about to kick the bucket', The NHS nurse laughed, both Ben and I laughed, but then something happened that I knew was teribble.  Ben's eyes rolled into his head, he gave a choking sound and began to slip off the settee and onto the floor. I shouted down the phone that something had gone wrong and that Ben had collapsed and just to send paramedics as quick as possible. Liz heard me shouting and came in immeadiatley checking Ben. She told me she couldnt find a pulse and we begun CPR, Liz taking the lead and instructing me when to breath for Ben. All the time, although not sure he could hear, I was telling Ben he would be ok, we would look after him and that we loved him. We managed to get a pulse, but still very erratic, we just contiued with CPR and reassuring Ben in his unconcious state and I think our selves that he was going to be OK. 

We don't know how long passed, but the paramedics arrived, they took over, used a defibrillator on Ben then got him into the ambulance and headed to the hospital where Liz worked. We followed with our neighbor in his car. Once there the medical team worked franticly trying to stabilize Ben. As they worked various members of the medical team came to us asking lots of questions about Ben. Each time they came to us they were saying they had not got him stable as yet, but were continuing. Then I can remember them saying he still was not responding.

After what seemed like a life time, but in reality only an hour or so, a member of the medical team came to us explaining through tear filled eyes and with a choked voice, there was nothing else they could do and they were about to stop trying to revive Ben. 

They took us through into the A&E treatment room. Ben was lying on the bed and just looked peaceful and fast asleep. Everyone was crying, Liz and me, the doctors and nurses, everyone hugging us, hugging each other and saying how sorry they were. We stayed with Ben for some time. I dont know what we were thinking for sure, we just felt very empty, lost and why Ben? We left the hospital and went home where we had Luke waiting, Bens younger brother he didnt know anything about it.

We sat together and explained to Luke that Ben wouldn't be coming home anymore, he had gone to heaven. Luke cried, we cried, we all cried a lot and we still sometimes have a tear now, but we love Ben, we miss him and we will for the rest of our lives.

If we could wave a wand to make sure that no families have to go through what we have and are still going through, we would. Unfortunately the wand wont work so we need to ask people to help us raise money that we can give to SADS UK.

Please, please, please help us on this the 10th anniversary of Bens pasing if you can, by making a donation that will be fantastic. If you can't thats ok, we understand. Thank you for looking at our Just Giving page and now you know our story. Thank you