A Nottingham man who survived several heart attacks is fundraising in memory of a close friend who supported him during his recovery.
Matt Tapp, 61, will be walking round five lakes in five counties over five consecutive days in memory of Bob Colley. The two men were friends for over 35 years until Bob died in June last year at the age of 75 – following a heart attack.
In August 2018, Matt was at home when he first experienced chest pains, although he didn’t initially realise what was happening. Matt said: “I told myself it was indigestion. After a little while it seemed to ease, but over the next couple of hours the pain periodically returned.
“Later that evening my wife Ingrid and I went to the cinema, and during the film I felt an excruciating pain across my back, like someone had pressed a molten crucifix against it. At this point, I finally began to think this might be more serious.
After returning home and still in intense pain, Matt finally relented to Ingrid’s wishes to call an ambulance. Paramedics rushed him to hospital where he went straight into theatre for heart surgery.
Following the operation, Matt was told that it would be at least three months before he could return to his job working as a communications director for the police. However, the impact of his heart attack together with the demands of the job ultimately forced him to retire after 27 years of service.
Matt said: “It was a huge psychological blow. I loved my job and having to give it up turned my life upside down. I’d worked for police forces all over the country, and the work was beyond fulfilling. Losing that was devasting.”
During this difficult time, Bob was one of many people who supported Matt in his recovery. “After I came out of hospital, Bob phoned me every Monday without fail to see how I was doing. He was there for me week after week. In the hard years of rehabilitation which followed, Bob was constantly in touch, supporting and encouraging me in my return to health.”
At his friend’s suggestion, Matt was inspired to improve his fitness by taking up walking which had always been one of Bob’s passions. The pair continued their regular calls right up until Bob’s sudden death in June last year. The 75-year-old had spent the morning walking around Stanwick Lakes in Northamptonshire with his wife, Val, when he suffered a heart attack. The father-of-two, who also had six grandchildren, was treated in hospital but sadly died during surgery.
To mark the anniversary of his friend’s death, Matt will be walking around five different lakes, in five different English counties, on five consecutive days. He will be covering a total of 75 miles – one mile for each year of Bob’s life.
Starting on Saturday 8th June, Matt will walk around lakes in West Yorkshire, Derbyshire, Rutland, and Cambridgeshire, before finishing at Stanwick Lakes on Wednesday 12th June – one year to the day since Bob’s death.
“There are many people undertaking far more daring or adventurous fundraising challenges than me,” said Matt. “But I get a real sense of pride and pleasure in seeing the donations on my fundraising page go up. I’m doing this to remember Bob, to maintain my fitness, to encourage others to walk and to help stop heart disease.”
People can support Matt’s fundraising online: justgiving.com/page/matt-tapp-1708700306267