Tragic young Derbyshire RAF man who 'suffered in silence' to be remembered on Mount Everest

Daniel Harding, who was in the RAF and lived in Creswell, ‘suffered in silence’ before taking his own life aged only 24 in October 2015.

His family ‘still feel the pain every single day’ and this year Daniel’s dad Andrew Harding and his aunt Stacey Ramsey are planning an epic climb in his memory.

The intrepid pair will trek to Everest Base Camp in April to raise cash and awareness for the mental health charity CALM.

Stacey, of Clowne, said: “My nephew suffered in silence and behind that beautiful smile was a broken young man.

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“It will be tough and a long time away from our family and friends but raising money to try and stop the stigma around male mental health will give us the determination to get there and back.

“Raising money for this important charity and knowing that young men are encouraged to pick up that phone and ask for help gives us the motivation to attempt these difficult challenges.”

Daniel, who went to Heritage School at Clowne, left behind dad Andrew, mum Kerry and two younger brothers.

“I remember him being fun and having a great sense of humour,” Stacey said. “He would light up a room and was so kind and outgoing.

“He loved his family and they were everything to him, he was so close to his brothers. He always said he was ‘mummy’s boy’.”

Stacey and Andrew’s previous challenges include two Tough Mudder events and an ascent of Africa’s highest peak, Mount Kilimanjaro.

She is a self-confessed ‘fitness freak’ but says Andrew isn’t and is finding the training tough.

“We just want to help other people who are suffering every day like our Dan.”

CALM, or Campaign Against Living Miserably, is a leading a movement against suicide, the single biggest killer of men aged under 45 in the UK and the cause of 18 deaths every day.

To donate, visit Stacey and Andrew’s JustGiving page