Mum Donna Nelson ready to take the plunge

It is the latest challenge Donna Nelson has undertaken since the death of son Chris in 2016, with family members lining up to keep his memory alive and raise money for Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity (ECHC).

Donna, along with eight other members of Team Nelson, are now doing the Highland Fling Bridge Swing which will see the group plummet down a free fall drop of 15 metres from the Garry Bridge in Killiecrankie near Perth.

Christopher’s sisters, Abby, 13, and Rebecca, 26, will join Donna on the jump, which aims to raise money for the charity to support and complement the work of the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in the Capital.

Despite her fear of heights, Donna, from Eskbank, Midlothian, says she is looking forward to the challenge.

She said: “I’ve got a massive fear of heights but it’s so important to me keep Christopher’s memory alive that we keep taking on these mad challenges.

“We’ve done Tough Mudder, I cycled 200 miles along the Rest and be Thankful, his dad cycled to Glasgow and I even parachuted from a plane.”

Donna added: “I always think, ‘What would Christopher say to me doing all these crazy things?’ Nobody would be laughing more than him at his mum who has a fear of heights.”

She laughed: “They’re even making me jump off last which is the worst.”

Donna and her family’s efforts have raised more than £27,000 for charity over the years since Christopher’s passing. Chris, an NHS pharmaceutical technician, failed to return from a morning walk in the Nieuwmarkt area of Amsterdam city centre on November 15, 2016. His body was later found in a canal in the city following a sonar search by Dutch authorities.

ECHC is a charity close to the family’s heart as it supported him in hospital when he was younger.

Donna added: “I remember him challenging me to run 5k when he knew fine well I couldn’t run for a bus, but he gave me the couch to 5k app and now I run three times a week. It feels like yesterday he passed away and although people say it gets easier, if anything gets harder, so it’s so important to us to keep his spirit alive and raise money for such a wonderful charity.”

Sue Diamond, community fundraising manager at ECHC, said: “The family are amazing and have raised a great amount for us over the past few years.

“The money raised will have a huge impact on the lives of young patients and their families and we’re so grateful for their continued support.”