A runner is taking on a 100km ultramarathon in memory of his late mother.
Harrison Smith, from Basingstoke, will cover the distance in one day this November, 15 years after his mother died by suicide.
The challenge will raise money for Andover Mind, which supports people across Andover, Basingstoke and Aldershot.
Mr Smith said: "Mum was the life and soul of any room.
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"She could make people laugh, make people feel super comfortable, and just bring people together.
"From the outside, she was the person you might never imagine was struggling so deeply.
"But mental health doesn't always look the way we expect it to."
He said the grief had stayed with him since.
Mr Smith said: "People miss the signs, the symptoms, and the cries for help. I know I did.
"It has taken me many years to process even a fraction of what I felt that day.
"15 years on, whilst I am stronger, there are still parts of what happened that I am only now beginning to truly understand."
Over time, he began reflecting more deeply on those years.
Mr Smith said: "I've recently started looking back at the years before mum's passing with a different perspective.
"Understanding just how difficult and complicated life can become when you're living alongside situations heavily affected by someone's mental health."
He has also learned to let go of his guilt.
Mr Smith said: "One of the hardest things I've had to learn is how to forgive myself for not being able to save someone I love.
"Mental health doesn't just affect the person experiencing it.
"The layers and complications are often misunderstood, and the blast radius reaches far beyond the individual."
He urged people to support organisations such as Andover Mind.
Mr Smith said: "We need to support the organisations helping people and families fighting those ongoing battles.
"We need places where people can go before they reach breaking point.
"Places where they feel safe and simply know that they aren't alone.
"So, I'm going to run 100km to raise much needed funds for Andover Mind."
Mr Smith has raised 70 per cent of his £2,500 target and will start in Pangbourne on Saturday, November 14, 2026.
He will finish at The Barley Mow in Oakley, Basingstoke.
Mr Smith has invited supporters to join him for the final kilometres.
He said: "This is where we will need all the support we can get!"
Donations can be made through Harrison Smith’s JustGiving fundraising page.
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