Swansea: Neil Norman, 93, walks half-marathon in wife's memory

Neil Norman is congratulated after crossing the finishing line

A 93-year-old man with an arthritic hip has walked almost a half-marathon in memory of his late wife.

Neil Norman's initial goal was to raise £100 for the Alzheimer's Society which helped him and his wife Anne.

She died with Covid in December 2020 aged 88 and had been diagnosed with dementia in her later years.

He was cheered by family and neighbours as he finished his 100th lap of Havergal Close in Caswell, Swansea - equivalent to 13 miles.

The former Shell engineer started the challenge in April and has already raised more than £4,500.

Neil decided to walk 100 laps of his estate in memory of his late wife Anne

Mr Norman said it all began as a bit of a joke with his family, after he got a walker to help him get around with his arthritic hip and knee.

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After doing two laps of the close where he lives, he texted his family and said "two down, 98 to go", thinking of Captain Sir Tom Moore and his fundraising challenge during the pandemic.

Since then, his fundraising target has grown and he continued despite being in pain at times.

His family were with him as he completed his 100th lap on Saturday afternoon, but his inspiration and motivation is Anne, his wife of 66 years.

"It was cruel to see her disintegrate mentally in front of me for those three months," he says

Mr Norman described dementia as "a horrible and cruel thing".

"Can you imagine when lockdown came and she was locked in here just with me and unable to see her own family, apart from through the window. Can you imagine that for someone with Alzheimer's?

"We did so many things together for many, many years. We went all over the world."

The route around the block for the walk

Now he sees walking and fundraising for the charity that helped them as a challenge and a way to keep himself going.

"Grieving is a form of self pity and with my hip going, I realised I was sitting around too much " he said.

But even though the goal was 100 laps, he revealed he might just keep on going.

He said: "I've got to keep moving. It's the old saying, if you don't use it, you lose it.

"Anne was the love of my life, she was my life", says Neil

"I can't get a new hip, so I've just got to keep using it."

He hopes that he can keep raising money and has mixed emotions about his 100th lap, after reading comments on his fundraising page.

"It's just amazing. If I listen to them, I wouldn't get my head through the door.

A well-earned rest and praise for the 93-year-old after his efforts

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