The heartbroken daughter of a father of three who collapsed and died during the RideLondon cycle race yesterday has described him as ‘my hero.’
Married Nigel Buchan-Swanson, 69, suffered a cardiac arrest near the 56-mile mark of the event in London and Surrey, organisers said.
Mr Buchan-Swanson, of Chichester, West Sussex, fell ill near Leith Hill in Surrey, and was treated at the scene by paramedics, with other riders stopping to help.
His daughter Carey Tonkin, who lives in South Africa, today led the tributes to her father, saying she was ‘absolutely broken.’
Nigel Buchan-Swanson, 69, who collapsed near the 56-mile mark of the RideLondon cycle event in London and Surrey, organisers said
Mr Buchan-Swanson’s wife Deborah paid tribute to her husband, saying he died doing something he loved’
Cyclists braved the rain for the Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 100 yesterday
His wife Deborah said: ‘He was a very experienced cyclist and died doing something he loved’.
She said: ‘Nigel was a much loved husband, father and grandfather.’
MrsTonkin, wrote on Facebook: ‘My dad was my hero, I told him that on the phone last week. Absolutely broken.’
She later told the Evening Standard: ‘It was so unexpected. He was fit and healthy.
‘I don’t have any words now.
‘I am heartbroken and this came as such a shock. He lived in England for many years and was planning on visiting home next year for his 70th.’
Mr Buchan-Swanson’s daughter Carey Tonkin, pictured with her husband Alan, said she was ‘absolutely broken’ over her father’s death
Some 25,000 amateur cyclists took part in the route through London and Surrey on Sunday
The event organisers said Mr Buchan-Swanson had been raising money for Macmillan Cancer Support.
He had set a target of £200, but by this afternoon it had hit more than £2,000, and donations were still flooding in.
Lynsay Macdonald, who donated, wrote: ‘I never knew you Nigel, but am thinking of your family at this sad time.
I hope you are resting in peace and died doing something you love and raising critical funds for an important charity.’
A fundraising page has also been set up for the family of Mr Buchan-Swanson by another rider who saw what happened.
Charlotte Henderson, who saw paramedics trying to resuscitate him said: ‘It could have been any one of us and I just wanted to help.’
A spokesman for the annual event, said Mr Buchan-Swanson ‘received immediate treatment from fellow riders and medical personnel at the scene.’
‘Everyone involved in Prudential RideLondon would like to express our sincere condolences to Nigel’s family and friends’, they said.
A total of 26,720 riders completed the 100 mile course on Sunday.