York Pro Boxer Michael Fafera in Gruelling 132 Mile Run Challenge for Epilepsy Society in Daughter's Memory
Photo: James Bovington
A professional boxer from York is undertaking what he admits will be a ‘gruelling’ run on Thursday 13th February to raise money for the Epilepsy Society on what would have been the tenth birthday of his daughter Emmie, who passed away in September 2023.
'We’re aiming to raise £13,200,' said Michael Fafera, 'by running 132 miles on the thirteenth of the second month when Emmie would have turned ten. Emmie was born with severe epilepsy and a missing gene which meant that she was unable to walk or speak and spent her life in a wheelchair.'
Nevertheless, Michael and his wife Jessica remember ‘a daughter who was always smiling and laughing and our greatest inspiration.’
Thirty-year-old Fafera moved to York from his native Poland aged twelve and now owns the prestige car dealership Motoplex on Wigginton Road. He’ll be accompanied on the run by his friend, Easingwold gym owner, Connor Clennan. ‘He’s my strength and conditioning coach who prepares me for my fights. We’ve been training for this together for nearly a year now and have so far raised about six thousand pounds, 45% of the target. We’ll be starting on Wednesday 12th February in Filey and running along the Cleveland Way to finish at Motoplex late the following day. It’s quite challenging terrain especially for mid-winter. We want to test ourselves physically and mentally so we are not making it easy.’
Clennan immediately accepted Fafera’s challenge to join him in the run. ‘He came up with this idea not long after losing Emmie and I embraced it immediately. I’ve helped Mike with training and nutrition for his fights and we’ve become good friends. A recurring trait of Mike’s is making a habit of against the odds accomplishments. I’ve no doubt this run will be another seemingly impossible achievement. Anyone spending time with Mike knows his drive, determination and focus are infectious. That said, training has been hard, as Mike has historic issues with a knee and I’ve had a bout of illness, so we’ve had to adapt to adversity.
It’s moving to see the tight bond that Mike and Jess have, and are supported by fantastic family and friends. Mike and I are absolutely determined to complete this challenge for such a worthy cause.’
Undefeated in his eight professional fights, Fafera took up the sport more seriously after taking part in a charity fundraising boxing event arranged by York’s Legions Gym for the city’s Special Care Baby Unit.
Photo: James Bovington
‘Emmie was cared for there for the first three months of her life. It was a no-brainer. I just had to take part and having won my fight on points I fell in love with boxing. We’ll have to see where I go with it after the February challenge. For now I’m concentrating on supporting the Epilepsy Society which is the charity that’s so incredibly close to my wife’s heart and mine.’