TRIBUTES have been paid to a father who bravely faced terminal illness to see his son grow up.
Journal readers raised thousands of pounds to help Scott Nugent undergo pioneering treatment for his degenerative brain disease in 2007.
It helped to buy him a few more precious years with his family, but now Mr Nugent, of Whitley Bay, North Tyneside, has passed away.
He died last Monday aged just 40, after a 16-year struggle against the neurological condition spinocerebellar ataxia.
The brain condition also took the life of his mother June, 58, and his eight-month-old first-born, Oliver. Friend Steve Payne last night said Mr Nugent was an “inspiration” to his loved ones, who will be sadly missed.
“Scotty was a massive character and an incredible individual,” he said. “I have known Scott since I was 13 years old, and I have never once heard him say, ‘Why has this happened to me?’ If he suffered self pity, he never vocalised it.
“It was sometimes an extremely painful experience being his friend and seeing what he was going through.
“But it was also a great experience. I think his legacy to everyone who knew him is that he improved their lives by holding a mirror up to them and showing them they are really lucky to have what they have.
“That is the only way I can take a positive from that horrible illness. Scott never did that consciously. But because he faced it with such dignity, he showed us how lucky we are.”
In 2007, Steve travelled to China with Mr Nugent – a former software engineer who learned his craft at Vickers in Scotswood, Newcastle – as he underwent pioneering stem cell treatment. Family, friends and Journal readers raised £36,000 to help pay for the treatment.
Although it didn’t have the wonder effects some sufferers reported, it made noticeable improvements to Mr Nugent’s speech, eyesight, co-ordination and energy levels. He also believed it could have bought him a few more precious years with his son George, now seven.
“George was the single most important thing which kept him going,” Steve added. “The treatment in China did improve his speech – overnight he was clearer. But the motor part off his condition it didn’t make a big difference to, unfortunately.
“But if it hadn’t been for the Journal readers’ donations, we would never have got to China to try it.”
Mr Nugent was 24 when he started displaying symptoms of spinocerebellar ataxia. There is no cure or treatment for the illness.
Last summer, he celebrated his 40th birthday. Steve added: “We had a great party for his 40th. He has a lot of friends who wanted to celebrate with him.”
Mr Nugent also leaves his sister Lisa and wife Louise. His funeral is at 10.30am on Monday at Whitley Bay Cemetery.
