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Sergio Aguiar and David Stancombe, two fathers united by a shared tragedy, have developed a deep bond through running as they prepare to take on the London Marathon together. Both men lost their young daughters—Alice Da Silva Aguiar, aged nine, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, aged seven—in a tragic attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance workshop in Southport in July 2024, an incident that also claimed the life of six-year-old Bebe King.
Last year, Sergio and David each ran the London Marathon individually in memory of their children. This year, however, the pair will run side by side, symbolizing the friendship that has grown between them. Reflecting on their relationship, David commented, “Last year we ran it as two dads, and this time around we’re running it as two friends. We wanted to run it together because of how close we’ve got.” Their running journeys have become a shared source of healing and tribute, with Sergio raising funds for a playground at Alice’s school and David supporting the charity established in Elsie’s name, Elsie’s Story.
For both fathers, running is much more than a physical challenge; it has formed a crucial part of their emotional recovery. Sergio told BBC Breakfast, “You have these kind of days you don’t want to wake up and as soon as I go out running afterwards I feel much better so running for me has helped me a lot.” David expressed a similar sentiment: “I’m not running to get… faster. I’m just running to get better.” Through their joint effort, they plan not only to honor Alice and Elsie but also to enjoy mutual support on race day. Sergio described their friendship as “very important” and likened David to “a brother,” a feeling David reciprocated, saying, “I feel the same. I say the exact same.”
Beyond the London Marathon, Sergio has committed to an ambitious goal of completing six major marathons worldwide within a year to support Alice’s WonderDance, the foundation he established in Alice’s memory. Having completed races in Berlin, Chicago, New York, Tokyo, and Boston, Sergio’s achievements have earned David’s admiration. “I think what he’s done is incredible, I certainly couldn’t do it, going from one marathon to another,” David said. As they prepare to run together, their friendly banter highlights the strength of their partnership: Sergio joked, “If he goes faster than me, I’m going to hold him,” to which David laughed, “If Sergio slows down, I’ll speed up.” Inspired by their example, the schools Alice and Elsie attended are organizing a mini marathon event in Southport, showing the positive impact the fathers’ commitment has had on the community
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