Vivienne McDonald suffered nine miscarriages and was told she would never get pregnant
Kenny and Vivienne at Goodison Park in October 2015
Kenny and Vivienne at Goodison Park in October 2015(Image: Kenny McDonald)
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A young boy is honouring his late mum by walking laps of 42 football stadiums. Mum-of-one, Evertonian Vivienne McDonald, suffered nine miscarriages and was told she would never get pregnant, so it was a miracle when she and husband Kenny found out they were having a baby boy.
At the time, Vivienne was terminally ill. She was diagnosed with serious lung condition pulmonary fibrosis when she was aged just 28. She died 18 months after her son Jacob, now 10, was born in May 2016 - and now he is doing everything he can to keep his mum's memory alive.
Speaking to the ECHO about his wife, Kenny, from Scotland, said: "Me and Vivienne met 14 years ago, when we were both living in Manchester. I was working as a bus driver at the time and we just hit it off.
"Vivienne was diagnosed when she was just 28-years-old. She'd been suffering from shortness of breath, she was struggling to breathe, tiredness and loss of appetite.
"She went to the doctors to get it checked out and that's when they told her she was terminally ill. We'd been together six years at that point, it was very hard."
Vivienne had suffered nine miscarriages, so when they got pregnant with Jacob it was a miracle for the family. Kenny said: "She was told she would never get pregnant and she did while she was terminally ill, she was amazing."
Jacob, now ten, outside Hill Dickinson Stadium
Jacob, now ten, outside Hill Dickinson Stadium(Image: Kenny McDonald)
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Kenny firmly believes she conceived while they were visiting Liverpool. He said: "Vivienne was a lifelong Everton fan and it was on her bucket list to go to Goodison Park.
"We went while she was ill, it was in October 2015, I remember it because they lost to Manchester United 4-3, and around nine months before Jacob was born. It was a great day, she had an amazing time and it was amazing to see her so happy and tick it off her bucket list."
Jacob was destined to be an Evertonian. Vivienne bought her son his first Everton kit when he was just months old. But Vivienne died a few months later, aged 32.
Jacob in his first Everton kit when he was just a few months old
Jacob in his first Everton kit when he was just a few months old(Image: Kenny McDonald)
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Kenny said: "It was hard. It was hard knowing she was going to die and I'm spending my life with a baby, being mum and dad and knowing Jacob was going to grow up without his mum."
The schoolboy is now walking 10 laps of all 42 Scottish professional football league stadiums to raise awareness of pulmonary fibrosis. He has completed 18 stadiums so far, raising money for The Pulmonary Fibrosis Trust.
Jacob did his first fundraiser for the cause when he was just five - raising more than £37,000 to date - but this will be his biggest challenge yet. His fundraiser will help provide wheelchairs, scooters, stairlifts, respite and practical support for the people who depend on it.
To end the fundraiser, Kenny says Jacob would love to finish with a lap of Everton's Hill Dickinson Stadium in memory of his mum.
You can donate to Jacob's fundraiser online.
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