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'Creative charity celebrates my son's life'

BBC Neil has shoulder length blonde hair and is wearing a dark yellow woolen hat and dark rimmed glasses.BBC
Neil Roberts said he wanted a positive to come from the loss of his son

The father of a 26-year-old skateboarder who died from a rare condition during the Covid pandemic has set up a charity in his name to "celebrate his life, not dwell on his death".

Ralph Roberts, of Lytham, Lancashire, died during lockdown in 2021 after collapsing at home.

“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," his father Neil Roberts said.

“In the afternoon he stumbled out of his room and he collapsed and he sadly died."

A post-mortem examination revealed Ralph had the rare condition sarcoidosis, which Mr Roberts said had attacked his lungs.

Live Like Ralph Ralph is skateboarding on a ramp. He is wearing a white shirt and black trousers and a cap back to frontLive Like Ralph
Ralph Roberts was a photographer, artist and skateboarder

“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 said.

“Over and above all of those things he was a very kind person.

“We thought ‘let's set something up that celebrates his life, not dwell on his death’”.

The family set up Live Like Ralph, a charitable organisation with a supports local creative communities.

“Skateboarding is a culture. It's not just skateboarding it involves art, it involves fashion, it involves music," Mr Roberts said.

Neil is stood at skatepark and is wearing a blue winter jacket and white t-shirt with the text Live Like Ralph
Neil Roberts said he is committed to supporting people going through tough times

"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 organisation teach youngsters to skateboard and provides boards and shoes to those who can’t afford them.

"Skateboarding, you fall off a lot," Mr Roberts continued.

"We've lost our child, that is the ultimate negative and we are making a positive out of it."

He said the 90s song Tubthumping by British band Chumbawamba, which includes the lyrics 'I get knocked down, but I get up again' is the charity's anthem.

"That is the metaphor," he said.

"People are going go through tough times and we've all got to help each other through those times. I'm committed to that."

If you, or someone you know, have been affected by bereavement, child bereavement or end of life care, you can find support through BBC Action Line.

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