When Jon Paul Hawkins collapsed during a Scout meeting, doctors said that apart from a dislocated shoulder the lad was fine.
Just two months later this kind, popular, 18-year-old was dead.
Jon Paul collapsed against while playing computer games with younger brother Sam, and this time doctors could not revive him.
More than 130 people turned out for Jon Paul’s funeral in 2001, where he was remembered for his enthusiasm, sense of adventure and love of the outdoors.
The Hindley teenager had been diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy as a baby – a thickening of the heart muscle – but this was not expected to have a significant effect on his later life.
But brother Sam and mum Evonne were dealt another shock when a scan found the younger boy had the same potentially-fatal heart defect.
Now 21, Sam has been fitted with a pacemaker and Evonne, of Brecon Drive, HIndley Green, is trying to raise awareness of the sorrow caused by sudden cardiac death.
She is doing a sponsored walk in London for the charity CRY (Cardiac Risk in the Young), which helps to fund more ECG tests for young people to encourage earlier diagnoses.
Evonne said: “Jon Paul was just buying some sugar to go with his pancakes, and everyone thought he must have slipped or something.
“Doctors couldn’t explain why it happened.
“In May that year, though, he collapsed while playing on the computer with Sam. He died, it was so sudden.
“I know that because I’m his mum you expect to hear this, but he really was so kind and popular.
“He was working at the Grosvenor House care home, and was always full of smiles.”
Despite having had a pacemaker or ICD fitted, Sam says he is still suffering from his condition.
He has always wanted to work with children but has been unable to get a job, as employers are scared of how much time he might need off for hospital visits.
He said: “At the moment I am volunteering at SureStart in Hindley, just to build up a bit of experience, but I’ve found it really hard to find something permanent.
“I need to go to hospital just once a month for a check-up, and though I cannot lift heavy things, I love the job and have a lot to offer.”
Evonne said she wanted to get involved with the charity CRY when she heard the shocking statistic that eight young people in the UK are taken from their families every WEEK after sudden cardiac arrest.
She will join more than 300 CRY supporters in the capital on Sunday, July 15, on a walk across eight bridges from Westminster to Tower Bridge, around eight kilometres.
They hope to raise £30,000 to pay for ECG scans on 300 young people. Evonne said: “The scans cost £100 each, but could help prevent a sudden death.
“It would be good to see an ECG as standard for all schoolchildren. It could be taken when they have all their innoculations.
“My target is to raise £200. If I can pay for two of these tests it might help stop what happened to Jon Paul happening to other families.”
To sponsor Evonne go to
