The incredible way a Larkhill boy is raising money to help his seriously ill little brother
Wiltshire’s Harry Byrne will walk the distance of the moon for him
Harry Byrne is set to walk the distance around moon in fancy dress in a bid to raise £4,000 for a local Wiltshire charity who care for his brother Reuben.
Earlier this year the seven-year-old hiked 50 miles for Julia’s House children’s hospice in Wiltshire and Naomi House & Jacksplace in Hampshire.
Now that lockdown restrictions have eased the seven-year-old is setting his eyes on space for the Hospice’s.
With help from his family, friends and other fellow ‘moon trekkers’, Harry hopes to complete the 6786-mile distance around the moon in just three months.
As well as leading three fancy dress walks past Stonehenge on the full moon days of 22 August, 21 September and 20 October, the St Michael’s C of E Primary School pupil plans to clock up the miles by climbing mountains, running with his football friends and lots more.
REUBEN WAS BORN WITH A RARE CONDITION
Two-year-old Reuben was born with a condition that causes his brain to deteriorate – it’s so rare it doesn’t have a name yet, and there are fewer than 20 recorded cases worldwide. Sadly, the boys’ older sister Olivia died from the same condition when she was just eight months old. Because doctors are still learning about the condition, the family were told that ‘lightning wouldn’t strike twice’.
Harry’s mum, Sophie told Greatest Hits Radio Salisbury:
“We’re beyond proud of Harry. He has such a special bond with Reuben. He’ll put his arms out wide and tell him, I love you around the moon and back, and Reuben will always give Harry his biggest smiles.”
“Reuben has hugely complex needs and needs round-the-clock care from someone who’s trained to look after him. It can be incredibly tiring for us. So when the Julia’s House nurses come into our home to give us those respite care breaks, it means we can switch off a little, and have peace of mind that Reuben’s in safe and loving hands.”
“Reuben can have up to 10 seizures a day and it’s scary because it’s always in the back of your mind – is this one the last? He had one outside the school gates recently and Harry rushed straight away to get his brother’s oxygen for me. He stroked his head and was telling him, “It’s okay Reu Reu, it’s okay.”
“He’s just amazing with him and they’re both so brave. I think that’s what’s going to break our hearts the most when Reuben does pass away because they love each other so much.”
“Harry wants to take Reuben out in his buggy for as many moon miles as he can. It’s like the Winnie the Pooh quote: they don’t realise they’re making memories together – they just know they’re having fun.”
Harry’s ‘A race around the moon’ challenge starts this Saturday 31 July and will last for three months. Already, the youngster has gained support from more than 300 people who have joined his Facebook group, with many pledging miles and donations for the local children’s hospices.