My soldier son was killed by a heart defect
Edel Kenealy Soldier Josh Hoole had a heart defect which could have killed him at any time, his dad has revealed.
The superfit Scots corporal died during a training run on the hottest day of the year.
But his father Phillip says that the undiagnosed condition, which was only revealed in his post-mortem, could have caused him to collapse and die in any circumstances.
The former Army sergeant-major said: “The truth is, my son could have dropped down dead at any time.”
Josh, 26, of Ecclefechan, Dumfriesshire, a section commander in The Rif les regiment, died 200 metres from the f inish line of an eight-mile run in the Brecon Beacons on July 19.
In the wake of his death, there were cal ls for an inquiry. But Phillip said in a newspaper inter v iew published yesterday that even if his death had been heat-related, Josh would not have wanted the Ministry of Defence blamed.
And he says the discovery that Josh had a heart problem reinforces his conviction that the Army is not to blame for his death.
He said: “My son is dead. I can’t bring him back. But I can speak up for him. Josh wouldn’t have been happy with the way people had a knee-jerk reaction simply because it was the hottest day of the year.
“He wouldn’t have wanted the soldiers who were with him, or the medics, to feel any blame. He was doing his job and he knew the risks.
“He was pushing himself. Josh always pushed himself 110 per cent. He was smashing that run but just before the end he knew something wasn’t quite right.
“He turned to someone and told them he wasn’t feeling too good, then he collapsed. The medics did the best they could to keep him alive, but there was basically nothing they could do.”
Phi lip also spoke of how he attended Josh funeral and the wedding of his elder son, Tyrone, also a serving soldier, within three days.
Josh was supposed to be best man to Tyrone, just a year his senior, and had written his speech before his death.
Phillip stepped in to read the emotional tribute last Saturday to guests including Josh’s f iancee Rachael McKie, who was to marry him next year.