An 85-year-old woman cycled over 1,500 kilometers to deal with the death of her three children

While many people see cycling as a hobby or a sport, this 85-year-old Scottish lady used it as a coping mechanism for the deep sadness she experienced after losing her three children in the space of only four years. Mavis Paterson found consolation and meaning in cycling when she left to deal with the memory of her children. She became one of Scotland’s most well-known cyclists as a result of what first began as a way for her to cope with her enormous loss and developed into a real love. Mavis has pedaled more than 1,500 km throughout her own country.

Mavis Paterson, often known as “Granny Mave,” a resident of Auchenmalg in Wigtownshire, has endured unspeakable loss throughout the years. She lost her son Sandy and daughter Katie within six months of one another in 2012 and 2013, both from health issues, after being widowed in 1996. The death of her second son, Bob, in an accident a few years later added to the unrelenting stream of sadness. Despite going through such intense sadness, the courageous lady didn’t give in to her circumstances.

Mavis Paterson reportedly used cycling as a coping mechanism for her unfathomable loss. She would rise early every day for a month and ride her bicycle around Scotland’s perimeter, slogging through its mountainous terrain and unpredictably bad weather. She would run 80 kilometers each day.

In discussing her love of riding and the death of her children, Paterson, who also has three grandkids, stated, “If I didn’t have my bicycle, and I know this is horrible to say, I don’t believe I would want to live. It is really horrible to lose your whole family. When one of her friends passed away, my daughter once exclaimed to me, “Oh mom, imagine losing a child.” I said, “I know. I was unable to fathom it. All of mine are lost.

In the meanwhile, another thing that kept her going after the passing of her children was her readiness to earn money for a British charity, Macmillan Cancer Support. In May of this year, she ran more than 1000 miles throughout Scotland to collect money for the organization. She continued by describing how she first set out on her adventure alone before being joined by other bikers who showed up to keep her company and rode alongside her for a few days.

Since her cartilage had worn away and she just had a bone-on-bone condition, Maves Paterson, who has been riding for a while, was once informed by her orthopaedic specialist that she would require a knee replacement. The old lady had big hopes to finish her bicycle journey from Land’s End to John O’Groats, so she wasn’t ready to give up just yet. And what’s this? In fact, she finished the whole 960 miles, earning her entry into the Guinness Book of World Records as the oldest woman to accomplish the journey.

Since then, Granny Mave’s exploits have been trending on social media, with well-wishers showing their support for her.