A coroner's officer

[nsd_user663_50126]

My dad was a fairly heavy smoker who died 12 years ago when he was 71 years old.

He was a strong guy and seemed physically fit. He died suddenly at home whilst preparing some onion sets.

After the Post Mortem, the Coroner's Officer, A friend of the family, told me that my dad's general condition was fine, he could have expected 15-20 more years of life EXCEPT for one thing...his main arteries had narrowed to such an extent that his heart simply failed. The main reason...CIGS.

How stupid would I have to be to make my children prematurely fatherless through a situation which can be largely prevented or the risk reduced by simply STOPPING SMOKING.

[nsd_user663_49415]

Spot on mate. My Dad died earlier this year, after a short illness. He had always been tremendously fit all his adult life. He never smoked and he was 85; the sort of age your Dad would have possibly achieved without smoking.

Like you I'm doing this for my kids. Having smoked for 35 years, maybe the damage is done, but I'm giving myself a fighting chance of being around for them as long as possible, as Dad was for me and my sister.

Like I say he never smoked and was gutted when I started. In moments of craving, I think of his selflessness and that really helps me.