More than £5,000 raised in memory of Hartlepool man who died of Covid
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A Hartlepool school where two of Colin Sutheran’s relatives are pupils have also added to the total raised by the appeal.
Colin, 60, was tragically found to have the virus on the day he was due to receive his first jab in February last year.
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Hide AdHe spent four weeks fighting the virus in hospital but passed away in March.
Colin, a welder from the West Park area of town, was being cared for in intensive care at Stockton's University Hospital of North Tees.
When he was getting placed into a coma, Colin said he wanted to raise some money for the hospital staff “because they’re absolute diamonds”.
Colin’s daughter, Kirstie Wass, 33, has said she wanted to organise the charity night, which was held at Seaton Social Club, in her father’s name.
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Hide AdShe explained: "When he passed away we didn’t get to have the wake that we would’ve wished for.
"All his family and friends got together, so it was like the wake that we didn’t really have, but also got to raise a lot of money for ITU, which was his wish.
"When he was in hospital he said how amazing the staff were and when he got out of hospital we needed to raise some money for them.
"I thought I need to do it in his name.”
The event, which was attended by more than 100 people, was originally due to take place in June, but was pushed back to October because of the pandemic restrictions.
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Hide AdAn auction took place during the night, which also featured a band performance.
Kirstie, who owns baby shop Thea’s Wardrobe, in York Road, said: "I’m just proud of how much we’ve raised in my dad’s name.”
Kirstie’s husband, David Wass, 39, added: "A lot of people said it should be an annual thing.
"It was brilliant. Heart-warming. A lot of our friends helped out.”
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Hide AdStaff and children at Throston Primary School, in Hartlepool, have also raised £200 to thank hospital staff, as two of their pupils are related to Colin.
Pupil Thea Wass is Colin’s granddaughter and Lucy Robinson is his niece.