A MAN who lost his daughter to cot death is running 11 miles in her memory.

Jake Fitt, 21, from Basildon, will get up and out into the cold on Christmas morning dressed as Santa Claus to raise money for The Lullaby Trust – a charity which aims to reduces the incidence of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and to fund research into the causes and prevention of it.

Chelmsford Weekly News:

First hold - Jake holding newborn Bonnie-Olivia

Chelmsford Weekly News:

Tragic - Bonnie-Olivia died suddenly on March 11 of this year

Bonnie-Olivia died suddenly on March 11 of this year after her mum, Kayla, found that she wasn’t breathing. She was just seven months old.

Jake told the Echo: “It was just a normal day. I’d just finished work when I got a call from Kayla saying that Bonnie had stopped breathing.

“I rushed straight to the hospital and was greeted by the doctors who told me to take a seat in a room where they told me Bonnie had passed away.

“She was in her mum’s arms. It’s just the last thing you expect to hear. It was the worst day of my life.”

Jake and Kayla had already separated at the time and were co-parenting Bonnie-Olivia.

Bonnie-Olivia’s first Christmas Day was spent with her mum, and Jake planned to have her the following year.

Jake added: “I chose to run 11 miles because Bonnie passed away on March 11. And I want to give up my Christmas because she won’t be here with me – I want to get up and do something for her.

“Any money donated for Lullaby Trust is a bonus, but this is more of a sentimental thing.

“The Lullaby Trust seemed like the most logical choice of charity and because Bonnie’s mum held a collection for them at a party she organised for what would’ve been Bonnie’s first birthday in July.

“I hope no other family has to go through this and that eventually there will be a cure for it.”

Jake, who used to be an avid boxer but gave up five years ago, hopes to get back into the sport to give him something to focus on since the loss of his baby girl, as well as helping him to keep fit in preparation for his run, which he will be doing in Promenade Park, Maldon.

To donate, visit gofundme.com/f/11-miles-for-Bonnie-Olivia