Wife of superfit firefighter who died at 57 after 16 years without a sick day was ‘shaken to the core’

Stephen McLean was a much-loved dad-of-two and a former paratrooper who worked for West Midlands Fire ServiceStephen McLean.

A widow was taking part in today’s Great Birmingham Run to thank a charity which helped her through the loss of her husband at just 57.

West Midlands firefighter and former paratrooper Stephen McLean did not miss a day’s work in 16 years but fell ill with a persistent cough last May. Doctors found a shadow on his lungs after he experienced chest pains and he died of a pulmonary embolism.

The dad-of-two was so loved that the fire service opened a book of condolence and its flags flew at half mast on the day of his funeral last July.

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“It was totally out of the blue with no warning signs,” Serica said. “Our lives were shaken to the core.”

The couple had been together since March 2007 after meeting through her older brother, who played football with Stephen, and married in 2021.

Serica was running today, Sunday, May 4, in aid of the charity WAY Widowed and Young, which supports young widowed people across the UK.

She discovered the organisation via a relative after returning to her teaching job but struggling to cope with her family’s loss. She initially joined WAY’s online platforms, where members can connect with other young widowed people to share their experiences, and attended her first meet-up last September.

Serica McLean is running for the charity that helped her after the death of her husband.

“WAY has been instrumental in providing me with a safe space to release my thoughts and feelings in a variety of ways, with people who never judge and have a wealth of experiences,” she said.

“I have been able to work through my grief and find ways to deal with the down days. There is always someone to listen at any time of the day, which I have found invaluable. When you’re widowed at a young age no one will ever understand how you feel unless they have been through it at an early age too.”

Serica’s 10km fundraiser will support WAY’s peer-to-peer services for young widows and widowers across the UK, helping to provide services including meet-ups, online support and access to telephone counselling and advice.

“No matter how small the donation, it is gratefully received and enables this charity to continue providing the valuable support needed for young widows across the UK,” she said.

The charity supports anyone aged 50 or under who is overcoming the loss of a partner – whether they were married or not, with or without children, inclusive of sexual orientation, gender, race and religion. It’s a peer-to-peer support network run by volunteers who have been bereaved at a young age themselves.

The charity was founded in 1997 by journalist Caroline Sarll, who was shocked to find there was no support available for her sister when she was widowed at 35. It now has more than 4,500 members across the UK

Find out more about Serica’s story here.