‘I think they’re amazing and their dad would be very proud’

Former police officer Stew Sparling sadly died five years ago from the devastating effects of motor neurone disease, aged just 44.

He raised thousands of pounds to support fellow sufferers before his death.

And those qualities of caring for others have rubbed off on his children.

Lewis, his son, is now a police officer with the Leicestershire force and his daughter, Caitlin, recently qualified as an ambulance paramedic.

Stew’s widow, Angie, sees a lot of her late husband in their children.

She told the Melton Times: “They’ve both worked during this Covid-19 crisis.

“Both of them just want to get out there and help other people - they want to be a part of the community.

“I do think a lot of it comes from their dad.

“I think they are both amazing and I know Stewart would be very proud of them if he could see them now.”

Caitlin, who is 21, was one of the students fast-tracked into the frontline in April while she was studying to become a paramedic.

She went out on call-outs with the West Midlands Ambulance Service.

Her experiences were shown last month on the Channel 4 documentary, ‘Paramedics: Britain’s Lifesavers’.

Caitlin told the Melton Times: “I was at the training academy one moment and then I was out on the road treating real patients.

“I have been overwhelmed by the positive response of people who have seen the programme.

“I am so proud to be doing what I am doing.

“I have wanted to be a doctor or a paramedic since I was 12 and now I am fully qualified at the age of 21.

“Dad has influenced me massively in what I am doing now.”

Caitlin and her colleagues were dressed in full personal protective equipment during the call-outs.

But there was one scary moment when she thought she had contracted coronavirus.

She developed a temperature and a cough and felt unwell.

But a test thankfully proved negative.

Having a brother also involved in the emergency services has proved invaluable to Caitlin.

Lewis, who is 25, recently completed his two-year probation and he is now a neighbourhood patrol officer in Loughborough.

She said: “It is nice to have someone to talk to because people don’t understand what you go through.

“Even though the ambulance service helps you with character-building, you have these feelings inside you after a shift which you sometimes need to talk about.

“Mum has also been amazing - I couldn’t have asked for better support than she is giving me.”

During the Channel 4 documentary, which is still available to watch on the catch-up service, Caitlin talks about the pressures of working on the frontline during a global health crisis.

She said: “Before I started this job there was a lot on the news about key workers and medical staff losing their lives to coronavirus.

“That was obviously something that played on my mind, but it hasn’t stopped me wanting to do it.”

She also talked about the trauma of losing her dad at a young age and how that has impacted her life, commenting on the programme: “Losing my dad at such a young age has opened my eyes to the real world and convinced me that being a paramedic was something I wanted to be.

“His death has put me where I am today and made me the person I am today.”

We reported back in 2018 about an emotional attestation ceremony for police trainees when Lewis was surprised and delighted to be presented with a set of epaulettes bearing the number 111, the same collar number his late father had worn on duty.

Angie and Caitlin were there to see the poignant ceremony involving Chief Constable Simon Cole, who said he felt honoured to do it.

The collar number had been retired following Stew’s death, but the force felt it was appropriate that Lewis wore them in memory of his dad.

Lewis said after that presentation: “I am sure Dad would be proud. I’d obviously rather have him here but wearing his collar number is the closest thing I can have.”

His mum, Angie, said her son was enjoying his new career in the Charnwood policing area and that his father had influenced his career choice.

“Lewis did some office work at Pedigree Petfoods for work experience when he was 15, but he quickly came to the conclusion that he would not be happy with a desk job.

“We all used to listen to Stew’s stories about his life on the force and the car chases and it was something Lewis wanted to do as well.”

Stew’s former collar number also lives on through the charity he launched in the years after being diagnosed.

The Treble One Trust raises money for specialist equipment for sufferers in the later stages of motor neurone disease (MND) through a variety of activities.

Stew had already helped raise over £50,000 for the Motor Neurone Disease Association before starting the trust, which continues to be run by his family and friends.

MND is a terminal neurodegenerative condition which causes muscle weakness, paralysis and, ultimately, respiratory failure.

Most people with it only live between two to five years after the first signs of the disease, and 50 per cent of those people die within the first 14 months.

There are 5,000 people with MND in the UK at any one time, including former Scotland rugby player Doddie Weir, who is also a prominent fundraiser for the cause.

Angie added: “We have around £40,000 in the trust and the money is very helpful to the people we help.

“We usually donate over £1,000 to sufferers, which can make a big difference to their lives.

“We recently gave £2,000 to another police officer with MND.

“The trust has also been working with the LOROS hospice to provide specialist MND nurses to support those with the disease.”

Go to www.trebleonetrust.org to find out more about the charity.

l Paramedics: Britain’s Lifesavers is still available to watch on All 4 - Channel 4’s catch-up service. Go to episode one to view the programme featuring Caitlin Sparling.