Father Establishes Charity to Honor Son’s Creative Life After Pandemic Death

The father of a 26-year-old skateboarder, who passed away from a rare medical condition during the Covid pandemic, has launched a charitable organization in his son’s name. The charity’s mission is to “celebrate his life, not dwell on his death.” Ralph Roberts, a resident of Lytham, Lancashire, died in 2021 during the lockdown period after collapsing at his home. His father, Neil Roberts, recounted the events: “He was in lockdown with us and he sent us a text early in the morning saying, I think I’ve got Covid, stay out of my room. In the afternoon he stumbled out of his room and he collapsed and he sadly died.” A post-mortem examination determined that Ralph had sarcoidosis, a rare condition that Mr Roberts stated had affected his lungs. “Ralph was a very creative person. He was a photographer. He was an award winning artist. He worked for very cool retail brand and he was also an enthusiastic skateboarder and cyclist,” his father stated. He added, “Over and above all of those things he was a very kind person.” This led the family to think, “let’s set something up that celebrates his life, not dwell on his death.” In response, the family established Live Like Ralph, a charitable organization dedicated to supporting local creative communities. Mr Roberts explained the philosophy behind the initiative: “Skateboarding is a culture. It’s not just skateboarding it involves art, it involves fashion, it involves music.” He further elaborated, “We want to get kids off screens, basically, and get them doing things and having a passion for something that they love. That’s what Live Like Ralph is about.” The organization instructs young people in skateboarding and supplies equipment, including boards and shoes, to individuals who cannot afford them. Mr Roberts further commented, “Skateboarding, you fall off a lot.” He drew a parallel, stating, “We’ve lost our child, that is the ultimate negative and we are making a positive out of it.” He mentioned that the 1990s song “Tubthumping” by the British band Chumbawamba, featuring the lyrics ‘I get knocked down, but I get up again’, serves as the charity’s anthem. “That is the metaphor,” he stated, adding, “People are going go through tough times and we’ve all got to help each other through those times. I’m committed to that.” For individuals affected by bereavement, child bereavement, or end-of-life care, support is available through BBC Action Line. The best of BBC Radio Lancashire can be heard on Sounds, and updates from BBC Lancashire are available on Facebook, X, and Instagram. Story ideas can be submitted to northwest.newsonline@bbc.co.uk and via Whatsapp at 0808 100 2230. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external sites. Information regarding their approach to external linking is available.