Latest news with #Dionne
The Herald Scotland
3 days ago
- Health
- The Herald Scotland
Former Kilmarnock player tackling jungles and deserts to help daughter
The former midfielder has made his peace with the fact that his daughter will never date a boyfriend, never get married, never have children or find an escape from the 50 different symptoms associated with a debilitating illness. The one thing he can't accept is the impotence of sitting around, doing nothing. His solution is extreme in a very real sense. To raise money for the Reverse Rett charity, 56-year-old 'Mavis' completed the infamous Marathon des Sables over seven days of gruelling heat then finished third in the 230-kilometre Ultra Marathon in Peru last year. On Saturday he tackles the 104-mile Ultra Scotland event between Dalry and Melrose and while his fundraising efforts have contributed over £100k to the search for a cure, the benefits to his own state of mind have been equally undeniable. 'I always say to people that Dionne's condition has given me some unbelievable life experiences and made me realise what's important in life,' he tells Herald Sport. 'Ordinarily I would have never have done the events I've done. Subconsciously I think it also became a substitute for me for the loss of football as well. I played for 21 years and from the age of 22, I started to train every day as if I was contesting a World Cup final.' He retired from playing for St Mirren in 2006 and found coaching an unfulfilling experience. Managing two Subway stores in Coatbridge and Bellshill failed to fill the void left by professional football. In 2008 the credit crunch came along and swallowed up the profits. A neighbour flagged up a recruitment drive by Police Scotland and, after 15 years on the thin blue line, he accepted a role with a London-based charity supporting survivors of human trafficking. His work provides a constant reminder that everyone has their crosses to bear. 'Dionne was 11 months old and there was no sign of crawling or walking before she started refluxing and being sick 20 or 30 times a day,' he recalls of the period when he realised his daughter was ill. Regular visits to the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Glasgow and Wishaw General failed to come up with a conclusive diagnosis. A breakthrough came, unexpectedly, during a family holiday in Florida when he googled neurologists and found one 30 minutes away. Costing £800, tests and blood samples came back showing that Dionne had a rare genetic neurological and developmental disorder which affects the way the brain develops. Primarily found in females Rett Syndrome causes a progressive loss of motor skills and language. Reverse Rett is a research organisation focussed on delivering treatment to sufferers. While they can do little for Dionne in the here and now, Reilly's quest for a future breakthrough has brought some startling and unexpected life experiences. 'Originally I started doing the events to raise awareness for the charity and for Dionne,' Reilly explains. 'But through that I discovered that I was getting something from it as well. 'You can never replace the adrenaline of playing on a Saturday, but the illness gave me a purpose and incentive to keep fit and healthy and switch from a team event to seeing how far I could push myself.' He began modestly with a Glasgow 10k in 2012 before moving on to the Three Peaks Challenge, spanning Ben Nevis, Scaffel Pike in the Lake District and Snowdon in Wales over the course of 24 hours. A formidable challenge to even the toughest of mortals, Reilly was convinced to go higher, harder. Read more: Malky Mackay on Hibs' £5m chance, training-ground plan and the Black Knights Stephen McGowan: Is Dermot Desmond absentee landlord or Celtic mastermind? Incorporating a 2.4-mile swim in open water, 112 miles on a bike, then a marathon, Iron Man events offered an immediate challenge. He couldn't swim and hadn't cycled since the age of 10. Signing up to a swimming club and purchasing an aluminium bike for £500, he completed two Iron Man events before setting his sights on the legendary Marathon des Sables, a 160-mile ultramarathon held every year in the Sahara Desert. 'There was a freak heatwave and the temperatures were almost 60 degrees centigrade every day,' he recalled. 'A French competitor died on day two and one of my tent mates suffered a cardiac arrest. He was dead for two minutes before they managed to bring him back.' Even a brutal test of endurance failed to tick off all the boxes on the bucket list to end them all. Last year he ran 230 kilometres through the Amazon Jungle in Peru and finished third. 'Prior to the year I did it, only 15 per cent of the competitors finished it,' Reilly explains. 'Day two we hit the jungle and day three was incredible. We went through a protected area where less than 50 westerners had ever ventured. 'One of the reasons for that is that they have a protected species of bat, with only six of them left on the planet. 'We stayed that night with a small indigenous tribe in the jungle. Only 12 people in the whole world spoke the tribe's language. You would put your hammock up and sleep dangling between a couple of trees.' His Just Giving efforts have now raised over £60,000. His autobiography and other initiatives bolster the tally to something in the region of £100k and on Saturday he plans to raise the tally a little more by completing 104 miles and four marathons on the Southern Upland Way between Dalry and Melrose in the Ultra Scotland race. It's a long way from his old, distant life as a professional footballer with Motherwell, Killie, St Johnstone and St Mirren. 'I was at Killie 11 years or so and I had my best memories at Rugby Park, winning the Scottish Cup. But I hardly watch any games on TV these days,' he says. Gathering dust in the attic, he gifted his Scottish Cup jersey and medal away to a diehard Kilmarnock fan and gave a Kaiserslautern jersey acquired after a UEFA Cup defeat in 1999 to a roofer working on his home. 'The experience and the memories sustain me more than souvenirs,' he explains. 'Going down John Finnie Street with the cup and seeing people happy is what I think of. 'Kilmarnock still ask me to do the in-house TV channel and the truth is that I barely know the players. I loved my career and gave it everything and I don't know if subconsciously this is just the way I cope with the loss of that, but I couldn't tell you the last live game I was at or the last 90 minutes I watched on TV. 'I love my boxing now and if you gave me the choice now of watching the Champions League final or a big title fight, I'd watch the boxing.' Mark Reilly will complete the Ultra Scotland race today (Saturday 7 June 2025). To support his fund-raising efforts for Rett Syndrome research visit
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Former Crystal Palace star Mark Bright marries Ian Wright's estranged sister Dionne - after Arsenal legend revealed two decade family feud
Former Crystal Palace striker Mark Bright has married the estranged sister of his ex-team-mate Ian Wright. Bright had formed a formidable partnership with Wright when they played together at Crystal Palace from 1986 to 1991, before the latter moved to Arsenal. The pair became close friends off the pitch and, over the years, have been photographed together at social functions on numerous occasions. During an interview on the True Geordie podcast in 2019, Wright revealed that Bright was dating his sister Dionne. Wright revealed at the time that he had not spoken to Dionne for 15 years, claiming that she had been 'disrespectful' to his second wife Nancy soon after the couple got together. Bright and Dionne have now tied the knot, with the former Premier League star, 62, sharing photos from their wedding day on Instagram. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Mark Bright (@markbright_) Wright revealed in 2019 that he had not spoken to Dionne for 15 years after she 'blanked' his wife Nancy (pictured in 2006) 'in front of people' during the taping of a Channel 4 show In a post also referencing Crystal Palace's FA Cup triumph against Man City at Wembley, Bright wrote: 'A great end to the season and an even better start to the summer, thank you to all our family and friends who helped make our day so special.' 'We created some amazing memories at a great venue, with good people, good food, and good music.' Bright signed off the message with 'D&M'. It is unknown whether Wright has mended his relationship with Dionne following his comments about his sister back in 2019, which he made on I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! Speaking of how the relationship affects the dynamic with his longtime friend, Wright had said: 'Mark Bright is somebody like a big brother and someone I respect who has guided me. What will happen if they get married? 'Is she going to apologise before she walks up the aisle? I want something to happen because my wife does not deserve to be treated like this. My sister has not found the decency to realise she should have apologised by now. 'I haven't spoken to my sister for 15 years. She was very disrespectful to my wife when we had just got together. She obviously knew my ex-wife and my kids so she felt like she had to take a side which I couldn't understand because I am her brother.' While Ian claimed the pair didn't have a good relationship growing up, things turned sour between them when Dionne 'blanked' Nancy 'in front of people' when she met up with him while he was filming a show for Channel 4. In the midst of a heated ensuing confrontation with his sister, the former Arsenal ace vowed that he would 'never have to see [Dionne] again' after she refused to apologise to Nancy. Father-of-eight Wright has been with Nancy since 2011 and they have two daughters - Roxanne and Lola - together. Sharon Phillips is mum to his eldest boys, Shaun and Bradley Wright-Phillips. His third son is Brett who he had with another girlfriend. He married now ex-wife Deborah in 1993 and they had son, Stacey, and daughter Bobbi together. Bright was previously married to singer and actress Michelle Gayle from 1996 until their union ended in divorce in 2008.
Scottish Sun
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Former Premier League star Mark Bright marries Ian Wright's estranged sister who MOTD pundit hasn't spoken to in years
Wright has previously opened up about an incident between his wife and estranged sister BRIGHT & BEAUTIFUL Former Premier League star Mark Bright marries Ian Wright's estranged sister who MOTD pundit hasn't spoken to in years MARK BRIGHT has married his former team-mate Ian Wright's estranged sister Dionne. Bright, 62, formed an iconic strike partnership with Wright at Crystal Palace between 1986 and 1991. Advertisement 6 Mark Bright has married Ian Wright's sister Dionne Credit: Instagram / @markbright_ 6 The happy couple beam on their big day Credit: Instagram / @markbright_ 6 Bright, 62, posted a trio of wedding snaps to Instagram Credit: Instagram / @markbright_ Wright, 61, has had a strained relationship with Dionne due to a falling out over the ex-England forward's second wife Nancy. Amid her sibling squabble, Dionne has now tied the knot with Bright. Posting a trio of stunning pictures from their wedding day, Bright wrote on Instagram: "A great end to the season and an even better start to the summer, thank you to all our family and friends who helped make our day so special. "We created some amazing memories at a great venue, with good people, good food, and good music." Advertisement Bright signed off the post "D&M". The Palace legend has received congratulations from several footie pals, including Andy Cole, Jeffrey Schlupp and Adebayo Akinfenwa. It is unclear whether Dionne has since mended her relationship with brother Ian. But in 2019, the ex-footballer revealed that he had not spoken to his estranged sister in 15 years. Advertisement BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK 6 Ian Wright spoke about his estranged sister in 2019 Credit: Reuters 6 Bright and Wright formed an iconic strike partnership at Crystal Palace Credit: Rex Features Appearing on I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! - Wright accused Dionne of being "selfish and vindictive" towards Nancy. Advertisement The Arsenal legend said: "So what happens now? 'I don't like your vibe' - Ian Wright calls out Paul Scholes in heated row over Arsenal "Mark Bright is somebody like a big brother and someone I respect who has guided me. "What will happen if they get married? Is she going to apologise before she walks up the aisle? 'I want something to happen because my wife does not deserve to be treated like this. My sister has not found the decency to realise she should have apologised by now. Advertisement 'I haven't spoken to my sister for 15 years. She was very disrespectful to my wife when we had just got together. 'She obviously knew my ex-wife and my kids and so she felt like she had to take a side which I couldn't understand, because I am her brother.' Wright married first wife Deborah in 1993, with the pair having two children together before splitting in 2004. He subsequently began a relationship with Nancy, with the pair tying the knot in 2011. Advertisement 'TOTALLY BLANKED HER' Appearing on The True Geordie podcast, Wright opened up on an incident between Dionne and Nancy during the filming of a Channel 4 programme. Wright said: "Nancy went to introduce herself and she totally blanked her in front of people, saying something about, 'I have to be true to my niece and nephew.' "This happened when I was in the green room. So I came out and said to Nancy, 'Where's my sister?' "She said, 'You understand what happened.' When I went over to her I could feel the anger from my toes. I said, 'As long as we live I don't want to ever see you again. The only time I will speak to you is when you apologise to her.' Advertisement 'And she said, 'I am not apologising to anyone.' So I said, 'That is good because I will never have to see you again.''
The Irish Sun
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Former Premier League star Mark Bright marries Ian Wright's estranged sister who MOTD pundit hasn't spoken to in years
MARK BRIGHT has married his former team-mate Ian Wright's estranged sister Dionne. Bright, 62, formed an iconic strike partnership with Wright at 6 Mark Bright has married Ian Wright's sister Dionne Credit: Instagram / @markbright_ 6 The happy couple beam on their big day Credit: Instagram / @markbright_ 6 Bright, 62, posted a trio of wedding snaps to Instagram Credit: Instagram / @markbright_ Wright, 61, has had a strained relationship with Dionne due to Amid her sibling squabble, Dionne has now tied the knot with Bright. Posting a trio of stunning pictures from their wedding day, Bright wrote on Instagram: "A great end to the season and an even better start to the summer, thank you to all our family and friends who helped make our day so special. "We created some amazing memories at a great venue, with good people, good food, and good music." READ MORE IN FOOTBALL Bright signed off the post "D&M". The Palace legend has received congratulations from several footie pals, including It is unclear whether Dionne has since mended her relationship with brother Ian. But in 2019, the ex-footballer revealed that he had not spoken to his estranged sister in 15 years. Most read in Football BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK 6 Ian Wright spoke about his estranged sister in 2019 Credit: Reuters 6 Bright and Wright formed an iconic strike partnership at Crystal Palace Credit: Rex Features Appearing on I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! - Wright accused Dionne of being "selfish and vindictive" towards Nancy. The 'I don't like your vibe' - Ian Wright calls out Paul Scholes in heated row over Arsenal "Mark Bright is somebody like a big brother and someone I respect who has guided me. "What will happen if they get married? Is she going to apologise before she walks up the aisle? 'I want something to happen because my wife does not deserve to be treated like this. My sister has not found the decency to realise she should have apologised by now. 'I haven't spoken to my sister for 15 years. She was very disrespectful to my wife when we had just got together. 'She obviously knew my ex-wife and my kids and so she felt like she had to take a side which I couldn't understand, because I am her brother.' Wright married first wife Deborah in 1993, with the pair having two children together before splitting in 2004. He subsequently began a relationship with Nancy, with the pair tying the knot in 2011. 'TOTALLY BLANKED HER' Appearing on The True Geordie podcast, Wright opened up on an incident between Dionne and Nancy during the filming of a Channel 4 programme. Wright said: "Nancy went to introduce herself and she totally blanked her in front of people, saying something about, 'I have to be true to my niece and nephew.' "This happened when I was in the green room. So I came out and said to Nancy, 'Where's my sister?' "She said, 'You understand what happened.' When I went over to her I could feel the anger from my toes. I said, 'As long as we live I don't want to ever see you again. The only time I will speak to you is when you apologise to her.' 'And she said, 'I am not apologising to anyone.' So I said, 'That is good because I will never have to see you again.'' 6 Wright married second wife Nancy in 2011 Credit: Getty
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Generic Gold Announces Resignation of Director
Toronto, Canada--(Newsfile Corp. - May 22, 2025) - Generic Gold Corp. (CSE: GGC) (FSE: 1WD) (OTC Pink: GGCPF) ("Generic Gold" or the "Company") announces the resignation of Mr. Bernard Dionne as a director of the Company, effective immediately. The Company would like to thank Mr. Dionne for his contributions to the Company and wishes him all the best in his future endeavours. About Generic Gold Generic Gold is a Canadian mineral exploration company focused on gold projects in the Tintina Gold Belt in the Yukon Territory of Canada and the Abitibi Greenstone Belt in Quebec, Canada. The Company's Quebec exploration portfolio consists of four properties covering 12,563 hectares proximal to the town of Normétal, and east of Amex Exploration's Perron project and the past-producing Normétal mine. The Company's Yukon exploration portfolio consists of several projects with a total land position of greater than 35,000 hectares, all of which are 100% owned by Generic Gold. Several of these projects are in close proximity to significant gold deposits, including Goldcorp's Coffee project, Victoria Gold's Eagle Gold project, White Gold's Golden Saddle project, and Western Copper & Gold's Casino project. Generic Gold's board of directors and management team is led by experienced mining industry professionals, with expertise in exploration, finance, capital markets, and mine development. For information on the Company's property portfolio, visit the Company's website at For further information, contact: Generic Gold Patricio, President and CEO Tel: 416-456-6529Email: rpatricio@ NEITHER THE CANADIAN SECURITIES EXCHANGE NOR THEIR REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDERS ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE. Certain statements in this press release are "forward-looking" statements within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein are forward-looking information. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon the current belief, opinions and expectations of management that, while considered reasonable by the Company, are inherently subject to business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties and other contingencies. Many factors could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements or forward-looking information that are incorporated by reference herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. Investors are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements due to the inherent uncertainty therein. To view the source version of this press release, please visit Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
