Claire Squires JustGiving: London Marathon 2012 death girl ran for Samaritans in memory of brother

April 24th, 2012

FAKE NEWS for the Zionist agenda

Claire Squires, from Leicestershire, was on the last mile of the 26.2mile course when she fell to the ground at Birdcage Walk near St James’s Park
Running in memory of her brother, who died of an overdose aged 25 in 2001
She had already raised more than £500 for charity by running the marathon – but this has now increased to over £240,000 as news of her death spread
Shocked friends leave tribute messages online to ‘brightest star in the sky’

By
Katherine Faulkner and Larisa Brown

PUBLISHED:

16:14 EST, 22 April 2012

|

UPDATED:

02:23 EST, 24 April 2012

Poignant: Claire Squires, of North Kilworth, Lutterworth, in a Facebook photo taken the day before she died running the London Marathon

When Claire Squires’s brother died of an overdose aged just 25, her mother and father suffered the heartache that every parent dreads.

Now they are struggling to come to terms with the tragedy of losing a second child after their youngest daughter collapsed and died while running the London Marathon for charity.

Last night, in an extraordinary tribute to Miss Squires, 30, donations for her chosen charity the Samaritans poured in at a rate of thousands of pounds an hour.

At the time of her death, her internet fundraising page at JustGiving.com had attracted £500 – but late last night, with 19,200 donors pledging money, the total had soared to £240,000, and continued to rise.

Friends believe her decision to raise money for the Samaritans – which offers support to people in distress – was partly inspired by the memory of her brother.

In 2001, Grant Squires was found dead after taking an overdose. He had ‘sunk into a depression’ after seeing his girlfriend killed in a horrific car crash that he survived.

Miss Squires fell to the ground in front of horrified spectators on Birdcage Walk within a mile of the marathon finish line on Sunday.

Paramedics tried to save the hairdresser’s life, but she died at the scene soon afterwards.

In a poignant photograph posted by a friend on Facebook on the day before the marathon, Miss Squires was pictured smiling and giving the thumbs up after choosing her running outfit.

A family friend said her parents Paul and Cilla, who have been married for 40 years, were struggling to come to terms with losing another of their five children.

They were too upset yesterday to comment at their home in North Kilworth, Leicestershire.

Claire Squires

Tragic: Claire Squires, 30, collapsed and died while running the final stretch of yesterday’s London Marathon

Home straight: Miss Squires collapsed at Birdcage Walk, near St James's Park, on the last mile of the 26.2mile course

Home straight: Miss Squires collapsed at Birdcage Walk, near St James’s Park, on the last mile of the course

Committed fundraiser: Miss Squires regularly raised money for charity

The friend said: ‘To lose one child is
just terrible, but to lose another – it’s a nightmare. They are a
lovely family, and all the siblings were really close, so it was awful
for them when Grant died. Now to lose Claire as well – it is just awful.

‘One minute I was watching the marathon on the television trying to spot her, and then I got a call saying she had died.’

Miss
Squires’s boyfriend Simon Van Herrewege, 31, with whom she lived in
Market Harborough, near Leicester, also declined to comment. The family
friend, who asked not to be named, said: ‘Claire was so beautiful and
such a nice girl. She was fit and had been training for the marathon.

‘She’s climbed Mount Kilimanjaro too – it just shows these things can happen to anyone.

‘I just hope out of all of this tragedy her mother will find strength and see how much support she has from everyone.’

Tests to establish why Miss Squires collapsed are expected to take place in the coming days.

Last
night Catherine Johnstone of the Samaritans, for which Mrs Squires had
done voluntary work, said the charity would dedicate a fund to her
daughter’s memory.

‘We desperately wish that it was not under these circumstances, but we have been overwhelmed by the response,’ she added.

Friends
paying tribute to Miss Squires – who leaves three sisters, Maxine, 38,
Nicola, 32, and Penelope, 28 – said she was ‘wonderfully vibrant’. One,
Nicola Short, said she ‘brought laughter and love to everyone’s life’.

Miss Short added: ‘She will be sorely missed by all and our thoughts and prayers are with her family and friends.’

Committed fundraiser: Miss Squires (centre), pictured with Nikki Wells (left) and Penny Squires (right) takes part in a charity car wash

Generous: Miss Squires had previously climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania to raise money for the RAF

Tributes: Stunned friends of Miss Squires today left messages on websites including her JustGiving.com charity fundraising page (pictured)

Rebecca Herity wrote: ‘Such an amazing girl! Miss you so much already! Beautiful angel xxx”, while Jo Lovell also wrote: ‘Amazing lady! xxx’.

Claire Collins-Green said: ‘You are the brightest star in the sky. Love surrounds you.’

Lily Jones added: ‘Thinking of you Claire, Rest In Peace.’

A fellow runner donated £20 and
wrote: ‘So sorry to hear the news. Rest easy – an angel for those who
run the course in future years.’

Another donated £50 and said: ‘So tragic. Claire was an inspiration to everyone. Our thoughts are with your family and friends.’

Friends also took to Twitter to pay tribute to Miss Squires.

Daisy Milburn wrote: ‘R.I.P Claire Squires deeply saddening news you’ll be hugely missed’, and Callie Wright wrote: ‘RIP Claire Squires – lived life to the full. Only lady I know to take hair straightners up a mountain!’

Miss Squires, a hairdresser from North Kilworth in Leicestershire, had raised more than £500 for the Samaritans by running the marathon. Her death is the tenth since the sporting event began in 1981

Another friend wrote on Facebook: ‘Can’t believe it. This cant be true. She was so healthy.’

Miss Squires died with the finishing line only one bend away.

Birdcage Walk borders St James’s Park
and is the last road that runners have to travel before reaching
Buckingham Palace where they turn onto The Mall on which the finish line
is located.

Competitors do not reach Birdcage Walk until after completing 25miles of the marathon.

Miss
Squires raised £1,886 for the Children’s Society by completing the 2010
London Marathon, and last year raised £1,430 for the RAF Association by
climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.

Miss Squires was only 20 when her brother Grant died.

• The
home and email addresses of all 38,000 London Marathon runners,
including dozens of celebrities, were unintentionally published by the
organisers on their website.

They apologised for the lapse and said it had been resolved.

The Information Commissioner’s Office will investigate

Here’s what other readers have said. Why not add your thoughts,
or debate this issue live on our message boards.

The comments below have been moderated in advance.

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JustGiving.com will rreceive 5% of this total….it would be nice to think they will take £25 only and donate the rest to Samaritans as a goodwill gesture in light of this tragedy……….RIP Claire.

– Solomon, Everywhere, 24/4/2012 08:07

It is true – only the good die young. Rest in Peace, lovely lady xxx

– Tracie, Chichester, 24/4/2012 08:06

RIP Claire and God help your parents, relatives and friends. Such of tragic loss.

– Steven, Surrey, 24/4/2012 08:03

Have just made a donation on the Just Giving site. I think it would be a nice gesture for the Government to take some of the overseas aid and match Pound for Pound the donations made to the Samaritans! Claire died needlessly for a wonderful charitable cause. May she rest peacefully at G-d’s right hand!
– Deedee, Reading, 24/4/2012 01:26
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
an even better gesture would be that Just Giving waive their high fees and the profit they make out of every donation?

– andrew blake, london, 24/4/2012 07:56

Why does this kind of thing happen to some people in life? I feel so sorry for the parents and my thoughts are with them

– steve, uk, 24/4/2012 07:55

At the moment, Justgiving stand to make about £10k off Claire’s donations as opposed to the few pounds they would have received otherwise. Please everyone join in asking justgiving to donate their fee to the Samaritans as well. RIP Claire.

– In memory of Claire , London, 24/4/2012 07:53

What a beautiful young woman and how can life be so cruel as to take both son and daughter from her parents – its just so unfair. I really hope Claire is watching from above and can see all the good she has done and all the money she has raised. RIP Claire, and my thoughts are with her parents. Losing both children must be unbearable.

– mother of two, Hampshire, 24/4/2012 07:42

How terrible for their parents – two wonderful children gone, and one doing something really great for charity. It might seem odd to say but the first thing I did was to see if their parents had any other children. Because to lose two children is such a desperately hard blow it is unimaginable. Having other children means your grief is shared and that you all support one another, and have something to live for. I pray this family can go forward from their terrible tragedy and that they are blessed with great happiness in the future. They can be so proud of their wonderful daughter.

– Sar, Belgium, 24/4/2012 07:42

Does anyone know what she died of? What a tragic story, poor girl and her poor family, they must be beside themselves xxxx

– Anita, australia, 24/4/2012 07:42

What a tragic waste of a life .She looks exquisite ,so vivacious and appealing.

– Bill Simpson., London., 24/4/2012 07:36

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