Kilimanjaro climb in memory of son killed in war

A West Sussex man has set off to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in memory of his son, who was killed in the war in Afghanistan.

Efrem Brynin, from Pulborough, will scale Africa's highest peak with 19 others to raise funds and awareness for the StrongMen bereavement charity.

The Brighton & Hove Albion FC fan lost his son James in 2013.

"I always wear his watch because that's the last thing that felt his heartbeat," Mr Brynin said, adding that his son would be at the front and centre of his mind during the challenge.

Before setting off to Tanzania, Mr Brynin told the BBC he was naturally apprehensive.

"The unknown is the thing that makes you slightly nervous. But that's part of the journey," he said.

However, he said it would not be as bad as his experience on the Channel 4 reality show SAS: Who Dares Wins, which saw him subjected to gruelling tests in the jungles of Ecuador.

Mr Brynin is due to return on 14 October - the day before the 11th anniversary of his son's death.

StrongMen, which was co-founded by Mr Brynin, aims to support men following bereavement.

"Grief can cause severe emotional and physical health conditions which are often overlooked and even ignored, especially in men," it says on the charity's website.

Four hundred and fifty-seven UK armed forces personnel were killed in Afghanistan, according to the Ministry of Defence.

The Costs of War project estimates more than 176,000 people died in the Middle Eastern country as a direct result of the war, which took place from 2001 to 2021.

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