The father of six-year-old Nathan Sharkey, who died at Faro hospital a year ago, was due to start a charity trek in Peru, on Wednesday to raise funds for needy children.
Following the tragedy in July 2008, when Nathan drowned after falling into an irrigation tank near the family’s holiday home in Silves (see the Algarve Resident edition, August 1, 2008), Martin Sharkey from Claudy, Londonderry in Northern Ireland decided to take on a challenge as a form of therapy and to do something for others.
Martin told the Algarve Resident on Tuesday: “I set off at 9am Monday morning and arrived in Cusco 31 hours later after connecting from Belfast, London, Madrid, Lima and Cusco.
“I am just trying to acclimatise at 3,500 metres and will begin the first leg of my trek at 7am tomorrow (Wednesday).”
So far, Martin has raised more than 5,000 pounds sterling, which he will collect after his 10-day trek in Peru and donate to the Children in Crossfire charity.
For more information and to make a donation, please visit www.justgiving.com/martinsharkey-trekperu Martin Sharkey has also created a website called www.losinganangel.com which discusses what it is like to lose a special needs child.
