My dad’s last words have got me fighting for everyone

I’M IN YOUR CORNER, JAKE TELLS THOSE WITH MENTAL ISSUES

BOXER Jake Andrews has pulled on the gloves again in memory of his dad.

Jake, 24, says Alan Andrews last words to him before his death were: “I want to get you back in the ring.”

Two years on, Jake has transformed his life, inspired by his dad.

Not so long ago he weighed 19 stone, was boozing heavily, and was having suicidal thoughts.

Now Jake is determined to honour his dad’s legacy through sport by turning professional - and inspire others with the story of his journey.

The health of Jake’s dad, Alan, deteriorated rapidly after he was attacked on a night out. He was already having a hard time, struggling with the heartache of losing his wife of 26 years, Nicola, to cancer in 2016, when she was only 46 years old.

Jake said his dad hit drink ‘hard.’ He too, was struggling as his mum was the person who ‘held him together.’

Jake had been an amateur boxer since he was a young teenager, but when his mum died he gave it up.

Instead he would booze and take cocaine. Jake gained eight stone, and in his darkest moments, had thoughts of taking his own life. “My dad was dealing with it in a negative way, he was upset all the time”, he said. “Without my mum he wasn’t the same, even when I looked in his eyes. He wanted to be with my mum. I wish I knew what I know now about mental health. I could have sat down with him and talked to him about his life.”

Alan never got over the attack on him and took his own life at the age of 46.

When Jake was told the news about his father’s death, his initial reaction was anger.

“I flipped the room up, I was crying. I got down to Salford to see my brother, who was in tears. I thought, ‘our lives have ended.’ I’ve lost my mum, I lost my dad. We said we’d be together.”

Jake’s friend invited him down to Team Greaves gym in Oldham. Step by step he got back into training. “I was still in that zone, no one loves me, no one cares for me anymore. What’s the point in even talking to people?”

He was befriended by coach Marvin Greaves and had a few amateur fights and recently turned professional.

Jake, whose known in the ring as Jumbo Jake, has his first professional fight on May 9 at Oldham Sports Centre. He said; “I’m taking that dream to

Jake with his dad Alan

(my dad) now, I’m bringing his legacy out on me. I want his name to continue.”

“I looked my opponent in the eye and I thought ‘this is me, this is what I’m going to do for the rest of my life.’”

Losing both of his parents in the years afterwards meant his life and boxing went off track. But now Jake is now in a much better place. He has had counselling and no longer drinks or takes drugs. Gone is the junk food - he eats hearty meals of chicken, rice and broccoli. He lives with his partner, his ‘rock’ Sophia, and daughter Florence

Nicola Andrews in Hyde. His outlook on life is now ‘very positive.’ His focus is on helping young people who have mental health issues.

He says he receives around 100 messages a day on Instagram from people who are struggling.

“It’s made me the man I am today losing my parents.

“People who are aggressive towards others with no apparent reason clearly have underlying issues in their mind.

“The first step is admitting it. When you know you need to see someone for help, it’s the best thing to do.”