WALK OF LOVE
NEWS COPY - WITH PICTURES - by Shanti Das
An inspirational mum yesterday (Tues) finished a 6,000-mile walk around the entire coast of Britain in memory of her five-year-old daughter - who died of a 'cold'.
Grief-stricken Natalia Spencer, 42, began her epic journey last Valentine's Day after tragically losing her "beautiful" girl Elizabeth.
The youngster fell ill with flu-like symptoms but later collapsed and died from a rare autoimmune condition after going into septic shock.
Natalia was so grief-stricken she had the urge to "walk and walk and walk" and set off from Durdle Door near Lulworth, Dorset - the beach they last visited together
The former PA, of Cheltenham, Glos., finished her year-long 'Walk of Love' yesterday, having raised more than £115,000 for the hospital which treated Elizabeth.
Speaking through tears, she said "every single step" was for her daughter, who loved nature, animals and the seaside.
Natalia, whose exploits won her the Endurance Fundraiser of the Year 2016 crown at the JustGiving Awards, said: "It has been very overwhelming and surreal.
"It has been amazing in a way, but I wish I never had to do it.
"I thought about Elizabeth every single minute and every single step was for her.
"She was the most amazing child. She was beautiful inside and out and she was joyful, like a little ball of energy.
"She would wake up in the morning and ask, 'Where are we going today?'
"When I set out my aim was to create memories for Elizabeth and raise £100,000 in her memory. I'm pleased that I have achieved that - I'm proud.
"I have learned that there are so many genuinely kind and loving people - it has been a discovery of how amazing people are.
"The scenery has been peaceful and nature has been very therapeutic, and it has given me purpose for a whole year."
Elizabeth fell ill with flu-like symptoms such as a headache in November 2015, which Natalia at first dismissed as a cold.
But the following day she collapsed and was rushed to A&E where she was put in an induced coma.
Her virus had triggered extremely rare autoimmune condition Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis, sending her body into overdrive to fight off the original illness.
After a 17-day battle at the Bristol Royal Hospital for Children, the blonde-haired, blue-eyed youngster went into septic shock and died on December 10.
In the weeks that followed, Natalia visited the seaside numerous times and realised that it was the only place where she could "connect" with her.
She went for a stroll along the coast one day and realised she didn't want to go home but wanted to stay and keep walking.
The heartbroken mum-of-two set off on her clockwise walk around Britain two months later.
She battled rough terrains and extreme weather as she trekked from town to town through England, Wales and Scotland, covering almost 6,000 miles in total.
Natalia, whose son is studying at university in York, said: "There were a lot of difficult times and it was sometimes dangerous.
"The most difficult part physically was the Isle of Skye. It took me a whole day to walk six miles through the wilderness - people just don't walk there.
"Emotionally, the most difficult parts were the places where I visited with Elizabeth because I miss her so much and they bring back a lot of memories.
"Some of the most challenging parts were my rest days, when I didn't walk. My body would rest but my mind never could.
"I took literally every day one day at a time - I lived through the whole year one day at a time.
"Every day had sad memories and was a challenge, but every day has some beautiful moments that I will remember.
"It was an amazing journey. Every morning I would wake up and remember why I was doing it, remember my daughter and set off.
"I think about Elizabeth when I see butterflies and rainbows, so nature was very helpful in my healing.
"In the most poignant moments, when I was feel sad, I would see a rainbow.
"I felt her presence - the whole way, she was watching me."
To donate to Natalia's appeal, visit https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Natalia-Spencer
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