TWO mothers who have both experienced the loss of a child have been working together to create something positive out of their tragedy and help save other lives.

Mia Knight and Connor Saunders both had their whole future ahead of them.

Tragically their lives were cut short suddenly and unexpectedly within eight months of each other.

Losing a child is every parent’s worst nightmare but Connor’s mother Daz Saunders and Mia’s mother Tracy Hall are determined to make their respective children proud by doing everything they can to prevent other families from going through the same thing.

On Friday, Mrs Saunders and Mrs Hall will be representing the Connor Saunders Foundation as they give a defibrillator to Swiss Garden School in Shoreham.

It will be the 27th machine the foundation has donated to a school or football club since it was formed following Connor’s death in April 2012.

Connor, 19, died following a single punch outside a supermarket in Rottingdean.

The talented footballer had a promising career in front of him, playing for Whitehawk FC youth teams before moving to Peacehaven under 18s and then into the first team.

His death devastated his family, including his older brother and sister Callum and Courtney, who runs the foundation, and his many friends, but they were also determined to keep his memory alive.

Just weeks before his death, Connor and his family had been watching the Bolton versus Tottenham football match when Francois Muamba collapsed on the pitch with a heart attack.

The player’s life was saved because there was a defibrillator available in the ground which managed to get his heart going again.

Mrs Saunders, 51, said: “Connor could not believe how someone who was so fit and healthy could have collapsed like that.

“A few weeks later, following his death, we did not want flowers at his celebration of life so we needed to think of something else.

“Connor was supporting his football club’s attempts to buy a defibrillator so we decided to raise money for that. The foundation developed from there.

“We are so proud of what we have managed to achieve and he would have been really pleased with what we have done.

“He lost his life in awful circumstances so it was important to us that something good has come out of it.

"As parents we know what it is like to lose a child and it is horrific. We don’t want other parents to go through the same thing.

“Connor loved life and life loved Connor and so we are continuing to embrace that memory by helping to save lives.

“When we provide schools with a defibrillator I also give a talk about Connor and about how every action can have a consequence and why it is important to make the right choices.

“People are better off using their energy to focus on ways to help others.

“We are honouring Connor’s memory by getting up in day doing something positive and making a difference.

“He always saw the best in everyone. It would be easy to become bitter about what happened but that is not what he would want.”

Focusing on the positive is something Mrs Hall, 49, from Shoreham, finds important.

Her daughter Mia had an undiagnosed heart condition and died suddenly while on holiday in Portugal in August 2011.

Despite the best efforts of a doctor who was on the beach, the lack of a defibrillator meant there was little chance of saving the clever and popular 16-year-old.

Mrs Hall, her husband Jon and Mia’s stepbrother and sister Connor, 20, and Gabriella, 16, were distraught after her sudden death.

Mrs Hall said: “She was a fun-loving person and very kind and gentle. She was a special person and well loved.”

A year ago Mrs Hall, who was already friends with Mrs Saunders, decided to become a trustee of the foundation.

She said: “There was no defibrillator available when Mia died. If there had been one she may still be with us today.

“We are living day to day and doing our best to cope and I wanted to do something positive.

“I already knew about the foundation through being friends with Daz. With what happened to Mia, I realised I wanted to do more.

“Mia would definitely have supported what we are doing. She would have loved this and been really happy.

“This is a way of getting something positive out of something negative.”

The two mothers are part of a strong team who fundraise tirelessly for the foundation to pay for defibrillators needed.

Other work has also recently included

They are supportive of The Argus’ Save A Life campaign, which is calling on businesses, schools, hotels and organisations across Sussex to sign up and pledge to get a defibrillator.

The campaign was launched as there are up to 1,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests in Sussex every year and about 20 per cent of these occur outside the home, often affecting younger age groups.

Survival rates for these patients are currently just five to 10 per cent compared with places like Scandinavia and north America, where the figure more than doubles to 20 per cent or higher.

Our campaign is calling on hotels, pubs, supermarkets, shop owners, traders, office workers, community organisations, libraries, gyms, schools, colleges and other locations throughout the county to arrange to have defibrillators installed on their premises.

The aim is to ensure all communities have a defibrillator within easy distance if a person’s heart suddenly stops.

The machines cost £850 and are simple and safe to use.

People do not need training to use them as an automated voice will issue directions.

The machine will not work unless it can detect an electric shock is needed so there is no risk of harming anyone.

Investing in a defibrillator could dramatically increase the number of cardiac arrest patients who recover.

People are also being urged to learn how to give basic chest compressions to help keep blood flowing around the body when the heart stops.

Almost 30 organisations have pledged to get a defibrillator since the campaign was launched.

Mrs Saunders said: “Twelve young people a day die from sudden cardiac arrest and this is why defibrillators should be in every public place.

“We fully back The Argus Save A Life campaign because the more defibrillators that are out there, the better.

“Some people say when we go to schools, why defibrillators? We always say, why not?

“They are absolutely vital and they could save a person’s life. They should be everywhere in public places the same way that fire extinguishers are everywhere.”

The Saunders family now also have a new motto – Five is Alive.

Connor was an organ donor and after his death five people had life-saving transplants.

Mrs Saunders said: “We have had letters from four of them who are now leading happy and active lives. He is a hero for them and he will always be a hero for us.

“He signed on to the donor register when he was 16 and this was the type of selfless person he was. We just want to keep that love of life he had going.”

To learn more about the foundation’s work, visit www.connors5.com.