Steven McNulty rides Manchester to Blackpool in memory of Mark Whatmough

Steven McNulty and Mark Whatmough, in happier times

Steven McNulty, who lost his best friend of 35 years, Mark Whatmough, to a sudden cardiac arrest has taken on a challenging night ride in his memory to help raise vital funds for the British Heart Foundation (BHF).

Steven, 40, and Mark were best friends from the age of six.

Just over a year ago, Mark died suddenly from a cardiac arrest causing unimaginable heartache for his friends and family.

Now Steven has taken on the annual Manchester to Blackpool Night Ride in Mark’s memory and to raise money for the BHF’s vital research into heart and circulatory disease. The BHF currently funds around £23m into sudden cardiac death and its causes, to find new ways to prevent these tragic deaths. Every pound Mark raises will help continue that lifesaving work.

Steven and Mark became friends when they lived on the same street together at the age of six. They quickly became firm friends, and stayed that way all through school and remained friends ever since.

Mark, who was a driving instructor, was driving with a pupil on 19 August, 2016 when he suddenly suffered a cardiac arrest. The quick-thinking pupil pulled the car over, and tried to carry out CPR on Mark until an ambulance arrived, but unfortunately, they were unable to save him.

Steven remembers receiving the call that day.

He said: “I thought Mark’s dad was calling to arrange a surprise party for Mark’s 40th, which was coming up. When he told me the news, I fell to pieces. I was just completely heartbroken. His family and friends are all still trying to come to terms with it. It has devastated almost everyone who knew him.

“Life without Mark is difficult and painful. What hurts the most is that we did not see each other enough recently. Probably because we had known each other for so long, and just thought that we would always be there for each other. That is what hurts the most. We shared a lot of times together, and I have got so many memories that make me smile and laugh when I think of him.”

Mark’s friends continue to celebrate his birthday in October every year, but Steven has decided to do something above and beyond this year.

At midnight on Saturday, Steven set off from the Trafford Centre in Manchester with hundreds of other riders to cycle the 52-mile course, through to Lancashire countryside, ending at the finish line on Blackpool’s sea front, under the famous Blackpool Illuminations.

Almost 24,000 people in Oldham are living with heart and circulatory disease, but the BHF is committed to funding half a billion pounds of research across the UK by 2020, to help beat heart disease.

Steven has raised an incredible £1,725 so far, if you would like to sponsor him please visit

www.justgiving.com/fundraising/steven-mcnulty2017

Or, if you want to join Steven and others in the fight against heart disease, visit

www.bhf.org.uk/get-involved/events/bike-rides/

and sign up to take on the night ride next year.