THE sister of an inspirational autistic man who died in a motorcycle accident is paying tribute to him – by taking his place in the Great North Run on Sunday.
Robyn Hadley, 20, of Shirebourn Vale, South Woodham Ferrers, will run the famous 13.1 mile route from Newcastle to the nearby town of South Shields in memory of her brother Skyler who died in May.
The 22-year-old, who had moved from Essex to Bristol with his girlfriend Caroline and worked in a pub there, was a keen runner and had finished the London Marathon just a matter of weeks before his death – a memory that Robyn holds dear as she stood at mile 20 to cheer him on.
"The last time I saw him he was him running up the road – I was screaming 'Skyler!' and he looked as fresh as a daisy, as if he had gone for a run in the park," said Robyn, who is also a keen runner.
The family heard about Skyler's death in a crash in Bristol on the same day that they discovered he had been accepted for the Great North Run.
"Caroline, Skyler's girlfriend, asked me personally to run," said Robyn.
"I was not going to tell the lady that I was not going to do it – it was an honour to be asked."
The siblings had a close childhood: "We were born less than 18 months apart from each other – we went to the same primary school and we grew up together," said Robyn.
"I have vivid memories of when the upstairs of our family home was turned into Hogwarts from Harry Potter.
"We were absolutely convinced that we were going to be the next Harry and Hermione.
"With Skyler, he was 22 – he was older than me but with autism you sometimes become younger in mental age.
"I could work out when people were upset but he sometimes did not have the capacity to understand people on an emotional level.
"At the time of his death he was 22 mentally – he had a job, he was riding his motorcycle."
Skyler ran the London Marathon for the National Autistic Society, something that is close to the family's heart.
"He was a member of the National Autistic Society – we got a lot of support from there growing up," said Robyn.
"I've been running ever since – it's kept me sane.
"When I run, I think Skyler's with me. It's special, it's something we both had in common and when I am running, he's there.
"If I'm struggling at mile eight, I will say 'Come on, get me through this'.
"I have seen him run 26.2 miles – I can run 13.1.
"Skyler signed up to do it and we haven't let anyone down because it's being completed.
"It will be a challenge. I'm trying to focus on my pace more than thinking about what it will be like on the start line and my nerves. It will be emotional. I'm not going to find it easy."
She even had a helping hand in her training from former 'Sporty' Spice Girl Mel C after entering a contest with BUPA, the organiser of the run.
"She said it was an inspirational story and it was incredible that I was doing it," added Robyn.
Her target of raising £700 for the National Autistic Society has been smashed. This week the total stood at £1,032.
To donate, go to www.justgiv ing.com/robynhadley
