'The kindness has made it a lot easier' - Brother of West Brom fan Mark Townsend shares feeling of appreciation ahead of anniversary
Albion fan Steve Townsend said he has been bowled over by the kindness showed to his family as the one year anniversary of his brother Mark's death approaches.
Sunday marks a year since Mark Townsend, a huge Baggies supporter, lost his life in Sheffield as a result of a heart attack at Hillsborough Stadium in the city.
The following day will begin a 10-day inquest into Mark's death. The 57-year-old BMW factory worker - who had attended the fixture with nephew Matthew - collapsed in the 3,000-strong Leppings Lane end midway through the first half against Sheffield Wednesday. It took in excess of 10 minutes for medical aid to reach him.
Mark's younger brother Steve and his son Matthew have continued to cheer on Albion having returned to The Hawthorns in the Birmingham Road end, moving five rows forward to new seats. The trio's old seats have been taken by a father and his children, something Steve appreciates, as well as being inundated by kindness and well-wishes.
"You try not to dwell on it too much," Steve said on the eve of his brother's anniversary. "You can't live in the past. It's been hard, I can't lie, there is no way of sugar-coating it. Death is death and you will miss them. I miss him every bloody day.
"The kindness of certain friends, even lads we only know from up the match, have made it a lot easier.
"There was one game where Matt had gone away with his missus and I thought 'sod it, I'll go up on my own' and two lads next to us wondered where he was and they said 'no you don't sit there on your own' and they got me to go and sit next to them to have a bit of banter. Silly things like that.
"People will always ask after the family as they walk past. Work friends, too, we both worked at the same place. A few lads are having a drink to remember Mark on Sunday.
"They are heartfelt things that show people still have the time of day to remember."
Mark's widow Marion is over from Ireland, where she was born and now resides, and watched last night's match against Leicester, where Mark, who lived in Oldbury, was paid tribute to on the big screen and in the matchday programme. Steve and Marion will attend the inquest from Monday.
There was a bucket collection outside The Hawthorns last night to raise funds for 'Lauren's Legacy', backing the 'one in every corner' campaign.
It was launched by Sheffield Wednesday fan Paul Gregory after the death of his daughter and is raising funds to have life-saving defibrillators installed in each corner of every football stadium of the English leagues.
"The campaign fits, it was made after somebody else lost someone they cared about as a legacy for that person," Steve said of the Red Sky Foundation fundraiser, which has made £21,000 since it launched last December.
"Even if we make enough money for one defibrillator and it's in Mark's memory, that's a legacy for me. If it saves one life in the next 20 years then it's worth every penny. I'd love to think it's never required - but it's the safety in knowledge it's there if needed."