SHE has been terrified of water since her son lost his life falling into a canal in A msterdam five years ago.
But now a Scottish mother is to face her fears in a bid to help other parents whose children are facing difficult circumstances.
Donna Nelson has not immersed herself in a swimming pool since her son Christopher passed away in a tragic accident in 2015.
Though the thought of being under water gives he nightmares, she plans to swim a 20km relay with friends and family in St Mary’s Loch, where her son’s ashes are scattered, after battling to overcome her aquaphobia.
Ms Nelson, who is currently learning to swim by attending adult swimming lessons with instructor Jen Henderson at Lasswade Centre in Midlothian, said: “I’ve not been in a swimming pool since Christopher died.
"Even when I stand in the shower, I can’t put my face under the water. There hasn’t been a morning in the last four years where I’ve stood in the shower and not thought about what happened to my son.
“It has taken me weeks to put my face under the water at my swimming lessons. I didn’t understand how quiet it was under there – it makes me think, ‘was it quiet for Christopher?’ I hope this challenge will help me find peace somehow.”
Donna Nelson
Christopher, 24, a former NHS pharmaceutical technician and bar manager, moved to live with his fiancée fiancée Stephanie Kollross in the German city of Kaarst, near Dusseldorf, but had decided to return to Scotland.
The pair had travelled to the Dutch city in November to visit friends, only for Christopher to go missing after leaving his hotel room.
He went for a walk in the early hours of the morning without a jacket, his keys or his passport, saying he could not sleep, and was not heard from again.
READ MORE: Body of Scot missing in Amsterdam pulled from canal
In the days after his disappearance an appeal was launched across social media and his family, who had received a text message from him about an hour before his disappearance, travelled to Amsterdam to join the search and made an emotional appeal on Dutch TV.
But their hopes were dashed a month later when Search crews using sonar equipment found his body in an area around the Oudeschans canal.
His mother is fundraising for Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity (ECHC), which supports the Royal Hospital for Sick Children – a charity close to the family’s heart.
She added: “Christopher was a mad sports person as a little boy, so we were on first name terms with the A&E staff at the Sick Kids [hospital] as he had so many sports-related injuries.
“He was very athletic and used to really inspire me to do things I would never do. He encouraged me to do the Couch to 5K and used to send me music to run to. He was my inspiration for most things in life. He would never believe that I would take swimming lessons, and especially not that I would swim in open water.”
Donna swimming
The grieving mum and her family and friends have so far raised over £30,000 for ECHC by completing a series of fundraising challenges since 2015, including Tough Mudder and a 200-mile cycle.
Although each new challenge is harder than the last, Ms Nelson says she channels her son to give her the strength to complete it.
She has previously completed the Celtic Challenge, a 200-mile cycle ride organised by St Columba's Hospice in Edinburgh, using her son's racing bike for the journey
It is a 200 mile cycle ride from the capital to the island of Iona, which cycles through Glasgow, Loch Lomond, Inveraray, Oban and the Isle of Mull.
READ MORE: Mother of Scot who died in Amsterdam canal to cycle 200 miles in his memory
Ms Nelson said: “When I complete my challenges, I’m always sobbing my eyes out but also have such a sense of relief. Afterwards, I always look up to the sky and say ‘love you son’ and have a moment with him.
“I couldn’t think of a bigger challenge than this one but I’m doing it for Christopher, so that his legacy and his name will live on forever. By hook or by crook – I will cross the finish line.”
Ms Nelson and Christopher’s family and friends will be swimming the 20km on Saturday 16th May in St Mary’s Loch, supported by Steven Nelson, the founder and manager of the outdoor activities company Beyond Boundaries East Lothian and volunteers who have agreed to be the water safety crew.
Rachel Baxter, Director of Fundraising and Marketing at ECHC, said: “We are enormously grateful to be Christopher’s family’s chosen charity. Donna is hugely admirable and inspiring and we wish her the very best of luck with this new challenge.
“The money they are raising will have a huge impact on the lives of children, young people and their families and make a phenomenal difference during their time in hospital. We cannot thank the family enough for their incredible continued support.”
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