'My perfect son died 10 years ago - I hope I'm making him proud'

Nicola Burndred's son Jordan died in October 2015 after suffering multiple heart attacks

Ten years ago, teenager Jordan Burndred travelled to Turkey with his mum, stepdad and little sister.

For the talented footballer, it was meant to be like any other holiday - a chance to make unforgettable memories with the people he loved.

However, the break turned into every family's worst nightmare when the 17-year-old from Biddulph, Staffordshire, suffered a heart attack while swimming in a hotel pool.

He was taken to hospital where he was put on life support, but over the next 10 days, Jordan suffered three more heart attacks, before he died on 7 October 2015.

In the years since, his mum Nicola Burndred has been fundraising for heart charity Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) in a bid to prevent other families going through what she did, and to create a lasting legacy for Jordan.

"Jordan made me proud every day and I now just want to make him proud," Mrs Burndred said.

Remembering the day he fell ill at the hotel, she said it still "felt like yesterday".

She recalled Jordan wanting to stay in the room but he came to the pool when Mrs Burndred asked him to bring something she forgot.

The 48-year-old said she sometimes "punished" herself and asked herself: "Why didn't you just leave him alone?"

Jordan Burndred was a "fit and healthy" footballer who played for Leek Town FC's academy

She saw Jordan surfacing from under the water but then he dropped back down while holding the side of the pool.

"As he did this, I don't know why but I just took note and I was like 'Jordan?'," Mrs Burndred said

"I watched him go back under but he didn't come back up and I jumped up because I knew instantly something wasn't right."

Her husband, Danny Everill, pulled Jordan from the water, she said, before a doctor started performing CPR while an ambulance was called.

"I can remember it as clear as day - it was like an out-of-body experience," Mrs Burndred said. "I froze and literally stood there watching. I couldn't believe what had just happened."

Jordan's death came as a shock to all who knew him. He was an athletic teenager who played football for Leek Town FC's academy and was a referee at Stoke City FC's academy.

"He was so fit and healthy. There were no symptoms, no signs, nothing," Mrs Burndred added.

Nicola Burndred and husband Danny Everill, along with other family members, have been fundraising for CRY since Jordan's death

An inquest later found he died of sudden arrhythmic death syndrome, a cardiac arrest for which no obvious cause was found.

"It's not really an answer," Mrs Burndred said. "It's like a book that's open and you want to close it."

She added he "sailed through life" being the perfect child, both academically and socially.

"You'd put a meal in front of him and he would always say thank you, his manners were impeccable," she added.

"He was just the perfect child. People still stop me now and tell me they remember what a lovely lad he was."

While Jordan was fighting for his life in Turkey, thousands of pounds were raised for the family for his care. But the money wasn't used and the family later donated it to CRY, a charity Mrs Burndred was not previously aware of.

This sparked her and the family's 10-year fundraising journey after creating the Jordan Burndred Memorial Fund.

Through organising various events, including a memorial fun day on Saturday at Knypersley Sports Club in Biddulph, they have raised just shy of £100,000 in total.

'Incredible legacy'

Mrs Burndred said she was grateful to the community for their generosity, adding: "It's an amazing amount, you don't even register sometimes that you've raised that kind of money."

They have also helped to organise 12 heart screening sessions in Jordan's memory, testing about 1,200 young people so far for potential cardiac conditions, with a 13th session scheduled for February 2026.

"That's what has kept me going over the years," Mrs Burndred said. "I've got something I can chuck myself into to keep Jordan's memory and legacy alive."

Dr Steven Cox, chief executive of CRY, said such fundraising helps the charity to provide the bookable screenings to the public for free.

He said 12 seemingly fit and healthy people aged 35 and below died in the UK every week from an undiagnosed heart condition.

"The Burndred family – supported by their friends and wider community – have raised almost £100,000 in the last decade, leading to 1,200 young people having their hearts tested, with more screening sessions booked for 2026. What an incredible legacy," he added.