Karen Andrews, 52, ‘was in high spirits’ before her sudden death.
A mum-of-three tragically passed away suddenly while preparing for a night out with friends. Karen Andrews, 52, died from a brain aneurysm on Remembrance Sunday in 2018.
Her son, Jake Keogh, 29, from Woodchurch, said his mum had been in “high spirits” just hours before her death. To honor her memory, he completed a grueling 52-hour walk to raise money for men’s mental health, the Liverpool Echo reports.
“The Last Time I Saw Her”
Jake told the ECHO: “The last time I saw her was around 2pm that Sunday. She was going out to Liverpool with friends that evening. I returned from a walk two hours later and found her lying on her bed. The post-mortem showed she had a bleed on the brain. In a way, it comforts me to know she went quickly and without suffering.”
A Dedicated Nurse Remembered
Karen had worked as a nurse for around 20 years and was a sister on the M1 ward at Clatterbridge Hospital. Her colleagues honored her with a memorial plaque and photograph on the ward.
“All the nurses stood in a huge guard of honor for her at her funeral,” Jake said. “She was special, funny, caring, and generous. She’d give you the last penny if she thought you needed it.”
52-Hour Tribute Walk
In memory of his mum, Jake planned a walk lasting 52 hours—one hour for each year of her life. Starting at 12:15pm on Friday, November 7, and finishing at 5:15pm on Sunday, November 11—the exact time he found his mum seven years earlier—he described the route as “deliberately and meaningfully planned.”
“Losing my mum was hard, and it still is, but I wanted to turn something awful into something positive,” Jake said.
He walked continuously, stopping only briefly to rest, eat, or use the toilet. After 13 hours, he experienced severe knee pain, which persisted for the remaining 39 hours. Despite the physical toll, he never considered giving up:
“When I saw the sunrise, I knew I was nearly done. Reaching the finish line and seeing 50 to 60 people waiting with a banner was the best moment of my life.”
Raising Awareness for Men’s Mental Health
Jake, the youngest of three brothers—Karl, Zacc—and stepsister Hayley, also wanted to use the walk to break the stigma around men’s mental health.
“After losing my mum, I was in a really bad place. Being open about my grief and receiving support from friends and strangers reminded me that people care about your story more than you think.”
You can learn more about Jake’s fundraiser here.
