Gruelling challenge in memory of our Sam

AGROUP of 50 relatives and friends of a teenager who died of cancer are to tackle the gruelling challenge he never got the chance to complete.

Just days before his death at the age of 18, Sam Faux announced that he wanted to do the Tough Mudder North West challenge, which involves running and wading through miles of open parkland, dark forest trails and thick mud.

The day after posting the message on Twitter, he went for a brain scan at Alder Hey and was told he had only weeks to live.

He died at home five days later, surrounded by his beloved family.

His brother Ben Coverley is now leading the effort to complete the Tough Mudder in Sam’s memory.

The former Ysgol Bryn Elian pupil, who lived in Llanddulas with his mother Lisy, was diagnosed with a brain tumour two years ago.

An operation at Alder Hey removed most of the tumour, which was the size of a tennis ball, but surgeons were unable to remove it all.

Ben, 25, said: “After the operation, his speech was a little slurred and the left side of his body was affected a little bit, but Sam just got on with life.

“He never showed any self-pity, and was never one to mope around the house. He carried on going out with his mates, who never treated him any differently. He remained positive throughout and always said he was going to beat cancer.”

Things looked positive last October, when a routine scan showed there was no change in the tumour, and Sam looked forward to Christmas.

“But, by mid-December, we started to notice changes in him,” said Ben, who works as a nursery assistant. His speech had become slightly slurred and the left side of his face a little drooped, but Sam said he didn’t want to go to Alder Hey for a scan as he was worried they’d keep him in.

“If we asked him how he was, he’d always say ‘fine’. If anyone ever got upset, he’d just say, ‘Why are you crying? I’m not crying!’”

Sam remained in good spirits over Christmas, but Ben says the family knew something wasn’t right.

At the beginning of January, he went for a scan at Alder Hey, and he and his mother were then told that he had only a few weeks to live.

Ben said: “We were told on Tuesday, January 6, and Sam insisted on coming home. He wanted to be with his friends and family.

“That night our whole family came to see Sam, and still he kept positive.

“Even though he must have known he wasn’t well at all, 24 hours before the scan he had tweeted that in 2015 he wanted to learn to drive, get better and complete the Tough Mudder challenge. He was an inspiration.”

On Sunday, January 11, Sam died at home. His funeral - held on January 15 at St Cynbryd’s Church - was attended by hundreds of people.

A huge fan of Liverpool FC who loved playing football, he was carried to the church in a coffin bearing the club’s colours.

A crowd of his friends and family will run the Tough Mudder in September to remember Sam and raise money for Alder Hey and CLIC Sargent, which both helped him during his illness.