A Glasgow father is opening up about his devastating loss after both his wife and son died from the same inherited heart disease, leaving behind a painful legacy and a call for change.
Craig Murray, 59, has been left shattered after losing his 22-year-old son, Chris, in 2017 and, more recently, his beloved wife, Linda, in May 2024… both to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), a silent but deadly genetic heart condition.
Chris, full of life and just starting his adult journey, suffered a sudden cardiac arrest while at work, collapsing with no warning signs. Seven years later, Linda was hospitalized due to complications related to fluid retention, a side effect of her HCM treatment. Her health quickly declined, and she passed away on May 30.
To compound the heartbreak, Linda was just months away from becoming a grandmother. Their other son, Craig Jr., and his wife are expecting a baby this summer… poignantly due on what would have been Linda’s 59th birthday, July 20.
“It’s brought us a small measure of peace,” Craig shared. “It felt like a message from Linda… something beautiful to hold onto.”
Despite his profound grief, Craig wants to make one thing clear: he doesn’t see himself as the victim.
“Linda and Chris are the real victims. They were taken far too soon,” he said. “Linda would have been an incredible grandmother… she was so excited. It breaks my heart that she’ll never get that chance.”
Linda was first diagnosed with HCM at 30, while doctors suspected Chris had inherited the condition as early as age three. Yet the true severity of the disease wasn’t fully understood by the family until it was too late.
Tragically, the condition runs deep in Linda’s family. Her mother and grandfather also lost their lives to the same heart disease, painting a grim picture of just how deadly genetic conditions like HCM can be if not aggressively treated or monitored.
“She always knew the risk. It was like living with a ticking time bomb,” Craig said. “But she faced it all with strength and courage.”
In the wake of Chris’s passing, the Murray family threw themselves into raising awareness, becoming passionate advocates for the British Heart Foundation (BHF). Their fundraising efforts have brought in thousands, with Craig now hoping their personal loss can help lead to a broader impact.
“If Linda and Chris’s story can fuel new research or inspire someone to donate, then their legacy will live on through saving lives,” he said.
Craig’s testimony comes as the British Heart Foundation gears up to launch its ambitious 10-year plan aimed at revolutionizing the way heart disease and stroke are prevented and treated across the UK.
