Tributes to dad who died just months after being diagnosed with motor neurone disease
HIS HEARTBROKEN FAMILY WERE FIRST TOLD THAT HE’D HAD A ‘MINI STROKE’
THE heartbroken family of a man who died months after he was diagnosed with an incurable illness have been raising money towards vital research to help others in a similar situation.
Before David Brackett was given the news he had motor neurone disease [MND], it was suspected he’d had a “mini stroke”, with his speech having become slurred.
His condition deteriorated and Mr Brackett, who lived with his wife Sally in Underwood, was in his early 70s when he died in September 2019.
His children, who spoke out about the devastating disease, said their dad was always willing to help others.
His daughter Emma Brackett, a 34-year-old art and photography teacher, who lives in Basford, said: “He was always a very big character, always very kind, happy and cheery.
“He loved going on walks with the dog, he absolutely loved helping mum put up exhibitions - he really liked helping any of us with any of our interests.”
With Mr Brackett not getting any better, and struggling to lift and grip, he was diagnosed with MND in the summer of 2019.
His wife Sally, a retired teacher and artist in her early 60s, effectively became his full-time carer with support from the Nottinghamshire Hospice and British Red Cross.
Their daughter, who works at the Holgate Academy in Hucknall, said: “The problem with MND is there isn’t really any treatment, there are some drugs that can slow down the process.
“Because my dad had a heart condition and things like that he wasn’t able to take those drugs.
The family were able to get away on holiday to Croyde Bay, in Devon, in August 2019 - a trip Miss Brackett said her dad “held on” for.
But she said he “went downhill very quickly after the holiday”, as Mr Brackett passed away the following month.
With the family left heartbroken, Miss Brackett said the first six months were particularly hard.
Speaking of his dad’s disease, Mr Brackett’s son James, a 37-year-old chemistry teacher, who lives in Breaston, said that from having been able to drive, “fast forward three months he could not walk and he was really, really struggling to speak”.
He said: “It was only two to twoand-a-half months before he actually died he got that diagnosis.”
During the first coronavirus lockdown of last year, the family raised £1,600 for the Motor Neurone Disease Association by running and walking in a month as much as possible, to go towards vital research into the condition.
James, who ran a half-marathon, and is married to wife Kayleigh, 35, said: “I run fairly regularly, about 10k, I jumped on Google Maps and planned out a bit of a loop that would take me the right distance.”
Sharon King, regional fundraiser at the MND Association, said: “As of December 31 2020, the Association had a research grant portfolio of around £14million.
“We can only support that level of work thanks to the efforts of people like Mr Brackett’s family and friends who have chosen to fundraise for the Association.”
He absolutely loved helping Mum put up exhibitions - he really liked helping any of us with any of our interests.
Emma Brackett