The family of a man dedicated to fundraising for a rooftop garden at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary have ensured his legacy will live on.
Martin Bruce was committed to supporting the garden project after watching his partner recover from a crash that killed their one-year-old son in 2011.
After getting news of the crash while in Russia, he rushed to be with his partner, Fiona Black.
Miss Black spent three months lying on her back in the hospital following the crash, with doctors unsure whether she would make it.
Sixteen-month-old Callum was killed instantly, but Miss Black was unaware of the tragedy until about six weeks after the incident due to her own condition.
More than 10 years later, Mr Bruce died suddenly at home in Alford, collapsing in the shower from a blood clot.
Following his death in January, Miss Black was determined to ensure that his legacy would show the “genuine nice guy” that he was.
More than £3,700 raised at his funeral has now been donated to ARI’s rooftop garden fund.
Supporting the roof garden
Miss Black said she craved the outdoors as she recovered in hospital as she was unable to move due to the seriousness of her injuries.
She said: “I had to lie flat on a bed for three months, it was awful, you’re just staring at the same walls, there was no air. I’m usually quite an outdoorsy person and I just wanted to get outside.”
That is why when hospital chaplain Rev James Falconer came to the couple and said there was an opportunity for a rooftop garden to be built, they both jumped at the chance to help.
In the years that followed, they led the fundraising of more than £22,000 which helped the Robertson Family Roof Garden open at the hospital in January 2016.
The Queen attended the opening ceremony, much to Mr Bruce’s delight according to Miss Black.
“She shook all our hands but when she got to Martin she stopped and spoke to him for a good couple of minutes,” she said, “that was always the story he told from that day.”
The garden is a safe space for patients and their visitors to escape from the business of the hospital and enjoy fresh air.
Miss Black said the facility would have made a “major” difference to her recovery had it been there when she was in hospital.
‘Genuine nice guy’
Miss Black moved to Alford in 1999 and Mr Bruce very quickly gave her a reason to stay.
Mr Bruce died aged 48 and was described by his partner as “one of your traditional good guys”.
She added: “He was just one of those genuine nice guys that everyone seemed to like and get on with.
“He could chat to anyone and everyone, and he did. He was just a great friend to everybody.”
All donations from Mr Bruce’s highly attended funeral were dedicated to the rooftop garden, meaning Miss Black could hand over a cheque for £3,715 to the hospital this week.
Explaining her partner’s dedication to the cause, Miss Black said: “Martin really supported it because he knew how much I supported it and how much it would have benefited me. He really did do a lot for it.”
Rev Falconer, who leads fundraising for the garden, said: “We were deeply saddened by news of Martin’s death earlier this year. The generosity of those who knew and cared for him towards the garden is quite humbling.
“The money donated will go towards the ongoing maintenance and upkeep of the roof garden, ensuring it remains available as a haven for patients and staff alike for years to come.”
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