This Sunday, brothers James and Henry Ash will take on the London Marathon in memory of their father Robert, who died by suicide in September 2023 at the age of 61. The pair are running to raise funds for a record-breaking family row across the Atlantic Ocean, supporting the charity Suicide&Co.
A Family Shattered by Suicide
James, 34, a bank equity sales worker from Clapham, described his father as a wonderful and jovial family man. 'His death came completely out of the blue and shattered our family life,' he said. Henry, 32, who works in fundraising and development in Hammersmith, added: 'We were very shocked by his death and didn’t see it coming.'
Robert, a wealth manager from Ripon, North Yorkshire, had a seemingly normal day before his death. He went to the gym in the morning, then to the office. His wife Charlotte, 62, recalled: 'He came back at lunchtime, upset and anxious. We went for a walk, had a cup of tea. I went out to an appointment, and when I came back the police were in the driveway.'
Henry noted that the family WhatsApp group had been active that day, with Robert sending a message at midday saying 'Much better now' with a sunglasses emoji. 'It was a normal day, until all of a sudden it wasn’t,' he said.
Support from Suicide&Co
In the aftermath, the family received support from the charity Suicide&Co, which provides free counselling to those bereaved by suicide. 'Suicide is a shocking death and we found that often people didn’t know what to say to us,' James explained. According to Samaritans, 5,717 suicides were registered in 2024, with the highest rate among men aged 50-54.
The Atlantic Row Challenge
In Robert’s memory, Charlotte, James, Henry, and sister Camilla, 36, plan to become the first family unit to row across the Atlantic. They need to raise £65,000 for a boat and have currently raised around £25,000. The London Marathon is a key fundraiser for this goal.
James said: 'The goal of the marathon is to raise money to allow us to buy the boat so we can then train through the summer to learn how to cross the ocean. We want to raise awareness too, suicide numbers are rising, especially in men.' Henry added: 'We’d never have got Dad on the boat, that’s for sure.'
Running for Dad
As the brothers tackle the 26.2-mile course, Robert will be on their minds. Henry said: 'Dad will be there with us on the day. We’re doing this for him, and I hope he’ll be looking down feeling proud of us. I want my mum and sister to shout ‘do it for Dad’ as I run past them.' James added: 'Dad will be in the forefront of my mind the whole time. Losing Dad will never be a positive event but if we create a positive legacy together, that’s a really powerful thing.'
To support the Ash family, visit www.ashfamilyrow.com or donate at their GoFundMe page. If you are struggling, Samaritans are available 24/7 on 116 123 or via jo@samaritans.org.
