Grace O'Connor

He goes there.

Friday morning, he was starting the hike.

And then I said to the kids, you know, it was like we had to get up at like 4, 6 a.m., I think it was, to talk to him.

And I said to the kids, you don't have to get up.

It's fine.

And they really wanted to.

So we got up and we had this is our last ever call with dad, you know, with James.

And we're on a video call and he's just saying, I'm so excited.

You know, the kids had made him cards before he went in.

This is kind of when we're really realizing, oh, this is really cool.

This is amazing what he's doing.

James had all these sayings, no surrender, hashtag winning all this.

And the kids are saying all this to him on the phone, hyping him up.

We know we're not going to be able to speak to him while he's doing that.

So we said goodbyes and we love him.

And it was just a beautiful call.

I have a video, a lovely video he sent afterwards just saying I'm so, so, so excited.

And he goes off, he heads off himself and his friend Alan goes off, starts the hike.

Friday morning.

And it's so weird not being able to talk, text.