THE family of a fallen soldier are going the extra mile to ensure their hero's memory lives on.
Corporal Dean John's relatives will be taking part in the 10-mile fundraiser tomorrow.
His three sons, Dylan, 9, Harvey, 8, and four-year-old Ethan, will be leaving the viaduct in Pontrhydyfen at 11am to walk to the Cymmer Refreshment Rooms and back, along with their 34-year-old mum Wendy.
Mrs John said she hoped the walk, which comes just days after the second anniversary of his death, would help to raise hundreds of pounds in his name.
The 25-year-old corporal was killed in Helmand Province, after his vehicle struck a roadside bomb on March 15, 2009.
Mrs John said: "We will never get over losing him, but it's something I cannot change. I do not think I will ever accept that he's gone."
She added: "Some of my family and some of Dean's side of the family, along with some of his friends, will be taking part in the walk — which is 10 miles up and back.
"Last year we had 70 people taking part, but I think we will probably have around 40 people taking part this year."
She said all the cash raised would go towards the new charity Families of The Fallen, which gives extra financial help to the families of British servicemen and women killed in the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. Last year �1,000 was raised through the walk.
On Tuesday, Mrs John and her three children released balloons and Chinese lanterns into the sky outside their Port Talbot home, in the dead soldier's memory.
Mrs John said: "They were sending the balloons and lanterns to their dad, we had a couple of tears.
"We had a nice evening this year compared to last year, as everything was raw. The kids wrote messages on the lanterns saying they loved him and missed him and he's their hero."
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