Stephanie Thomson, from Elderslie, was just 18 years old when her beloved dad Tommy died of ‘unexplained circumstances’ at the age of 39.

Tommy, a father-of-three, was said to have died of a condition named ‘adult cot death’ in January 2008, just days before his son’s 16th birthday.

“We still don’t understand it to this day,” Stephanie said. “Our dad went to sleep on the couch and never woke up again.

“My mum found him and asked a nurse from across the road to try and resuscitate him — but it was too late.

“The post mortem and toxicology reports both came back as ‘unascertained,’ it was horrible.

“He was a fit and healthy man, didn’t have a heart attack and his organs were perfectly healthy.

“Our family is still in the dark over his death to this day.” Stephanie described her dad Tommy as a “real family man” who had been dedicated to his job as a joiner.

She said the family were left heartbroken and “confused” by his untimely death, which they are still trying to come to terms with.

“When someone dies without any explanation it’s extremely hard to take,” Stephanie said.

“I think my younger brother was hit the most by his death as he was so young, it was just before his 16th birthday.

“People always think there has to be a reason for someone’s death but we have found out that’s not the case.

“I have been involved with the SADS charity and I hope to raise awareness of this condition so other families can find answers.” Heartbroken Stephanie and her family have since been fundraising for charity SADS UK, which is aimed at raising money for the loved ones of those who have died from Sudden Arrhythmic Death Syndrome.

Alongside her sister Michelle McClure, 29, and brother Darren, 22, Stephanie took part in the Ice Bucket challenge as a tribute to her dad.

However, instead of selecting just a few folk, her nomination was for the ‘entire Johnstone community,’ and she has managed to raise more than £500 so far.

“It’s amazing how crazy it’s went,” Stephanie said. “Never had I expected to raise so much money and gain so much interest.

“I decided to nominate the entire Johnstone community to get more people involved as the SADS charity is pretty much unheard of.

“Since then, I’ve saw about 93 videos of people taking part as a result of my nomination, including people from Canada and London.

Restaurant manager Stephanie said she was overwhelmed by the generosity of people who donated to her Just Giving Page and is now urging the rest of Johnstone to get involved.

She continued: “SADS is a charity that doesn’t get much attention so the Ice Bucket challenge is the perfect way to get people talking.” Tommy is survived by his three children, wife Yvonne, 45, and grandchildren Keira, nine, Logan, eight, and seven-year-old Jaya.

You can donate to the charity by texting TOMY68 £3 to 70070 or by visiting Stephanie’s Just Giving page at www.justgiving.com/Stephanie-Thomson3/ Visit www.sads.org.uk for more information on the condition.