Family of Birkenshaw boy who suddenly died to create legacy

Jasper Cook, from Birkenshaw, was just eight years old when he tragically passed away last January.

His parents, Kim, 39, and Ian, 41, are still trying to come to terms with their devastating loss and don’t want any other family to go through their nightmare.

Jasper tragically died in January 2022

An inquest concluded Jasper, a Birkenshaw Primary School pupil, died from natural causes, but what prompted his death could not be determined.

Kim said: “We haven’t got any answers. We’re in 2022 - how can there not be a reason for your apparently healthy eight year old to not be here?

“I think that’s been almost worst. I know what grief is like and I know that people get angry and it’s almost like there’s nothing to be angry at.

“Where do we go from that? There’s no label, there’s no immediate obvious thing to jump on. I think that’s the hardest bit.”

Jasper’s DNA has been genetically profiled for almost 100 markers, which have all come back negative.

Jasper's family are determined he won't be forgotten

Kim said: “There was nothing definitive on his genetic profile so what they’re looking at is syndromes that can cause an irregular heartbeat.”

A post-mortem looked at the anatomy of Jasper’s heart to check there was nothing physically wrong, while Kim, Ian and their seven-year-old daughter Lily also underwent tests including an electrocardiogram and an echocardiogram.

Kim said: “They know there’s nothing anatomically wrong with any of us, there’s nothing electrically wrong with the three of us. They can’t check that for Jasper - clearly something has gone wrong electrically, but they don’t know what’s caused that.”

Ian is waiting for a final test, but Kim is unable to go any further as she’s pregnant and Lily is too young.

A cause of Jasper's death could not be determined

The family is now hoping to fundraise in Jasper’s memory for a charity like Cardiac Risk in the Young.

They are particularly keen to support screening events and research.

“It’s a lasting memory for Jasper, just so he doesn’t get forgotten,” said Kim.

Ian added: “With the research element, they might find things out which could stop this from happening to someone else.”

Kim said: “If we can stop one person going through this, then that’s the point.

“It’s to try and make sure he’s remembered and to stop anybody else going through this if we can.”

It’s been an incredibly difficult year for the family, with their grief heightened through their first Christmas without Jasper and as the first anniversary of his death approaches.

Kim said: “It’s made us stronger, so many families will say that.

“I think if we can survive this, we can survive anything, but we’ve got to survive for Lily too.

“He’s very much on our minds and we very much talk about him, daily, hourly - minute by minute when it’s appropriate - and we don’t want him to become a scary subject that we can’t talk about.”

Jasper was coming into his own, his mum and dad said.

“He was really starting to blossom with his own personality,” said Ian.

Speaking after the inquest into his death, the couple said: “Our world will never be the same again. Jasper was a wonderful, kind, caring boy, who was full of fun and we will remember his cheeky smile and his sense of humour.

“He was a shining light and now that he is gone, the world seems a bit less bright.”

Through the darkness of their unimaginable loss, Kim’s pregnancy has been a beacon of hope.

She said: “It’s exciting and devastating in the same breath. We had our family, this wasn’t in our life plan.

“But Jasper going, Lily was not meant to be on her own and I can’t bring him back. This isn’t a replacement, but I think this is something to look forward to, it’s a light at the end of the tunnel.”

And through those dark days, Kim, Ian and their family have found solace in the immense support they have received in Birkenshaw.

“Everybody has rallied, everybody has been amazing. People say there’s no community anymore, that’s rubbish. I don’t believe that for a second, especially around here,” said Kim.