A grieving Perthshire widower is set to tackle the West Highland Way in memory of his wife who died of Covid-19 last year.
Fiona Macdonald, 47, from Blairgowrie, died in April 2020, four weeks after being diagnosed with the virus.
She was fit and healthy before testing positive, with no underlying health conditions.
Now her husband John, along with seven friends, is to walk the full 96 miles of the West Highland Way in five days to fundraise for the ICU team at Ninewells who cared for Fiona.
Cold symptoms
John, 55, said: “Tragically Fiona passed away last April.
“She was taken into hospital on March 18 via ambulance after collapsing at home having developed cold symptoms.
“She was given three Covid tests before one came back positive. The doctors were convinced she had the illness but the first tests came back negative.
“Sadly Fiona’s condition deteriorated and she developed blood clots that required surgery.
“Following the surgery Fiona became more ill and we were called in to say our goodbyes four weeks after she was admitted to ICU.”
No underlying conditions
He added: “Fiona was a fit and healthy young woman with no underlying conditions.
“We are shocked and devastated at what happened.
“Fiona was loved by everyone she met.
“She was the most important part of our family and put being a mum and wife before anything else.”
Fiona was mum to Jacquelyne, 29, Lauren, 26, and Scott, 19.
Prior to her illness she was a pupil support assistant at Hill Primary School in Blairgowrie.
John said: “[It was] a job she loved and used her skills as a great mum to look after, love and teach all of the children she worked with.”
A crowdfunder for the walk has already raised more than £10,000, smashing an initial £1,000 target.
Fundraising in Fiona’s memory
John said that after her death his friends from 732 Alyth, St Ninian’s Masonic Lodge suggested they could help him raise money for the unit in her memory.
He said: “We want to give something back as a thank you and hopefully make patients, staff and families lives a bit easier at their most challenging time.
“The ICU’s care of Fiona was outstanding.”
Setting off from Milngavie on September 6, John will be accompanied on the walk by Sandy Tosh, James Adams, Mark Milne, Scott Cameron, Ewan Cameron, Paul Gemine and David Robertson.
Donations can be made at www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/fionamacdonald