Burgh backing for teen's dying wish

Steve McElroy 1565 - 1565 • Published 30 Aug 2008 09:00

A COUPLE"S fund raising in memory of their teenage son has provided a legacy for underprivileged children in an African village.

Helensburgh couple Neil and Kim McLachlan lost son, Lewis to a rare form of cancer in June last year. He was just 13.

Despite illnes, the youngster always wanted to help less fortunate children, prompting his parents to continue his legacy.

With the help of Save the Children, the couple and their family Lauren 10, 19-year-old Stewart and Matthew, 21, have managed to finance the rebuilding of a school in the former war-torn vilage of Garmu, in Liberia.

Their efforts helped turn a dilapidated corrugated building to a brick classroom structure, was achieved within months thanks to the amazing support for the McLachlan"s efforts.

Neil said: 'Before Lewis died there was an advert on television by Save the Children asking people to donate £1 or £2 a month to help people in Africa.

'Lewis could see no sense in the fact that there were wars going on and people were being killed while others were starving. He always wanted to do something to help. We did a lot of fund raising for cancer charities and when we lost him we felt we wanted to do more.'

The couple contacted Save the Children who took the unusual step of suggesting that they collect funds for the school.

At the opening ceremony, a plaque was unveiled on a wall in memory of the teenager, which reads: "In memory of Lewis Connor Hugh McLachlan, Fortis Et Fidus (brave and true)."

See this week's Advertiser for full story.

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This article appeared in Helensburgh Advertiser 28 Aug 08

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