I want Rhiley and Harley to know their mum’s spirit ran beside me every step

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Jasmine Teague will step onto the starting line for her first marathon on Sunday morning with three very special people in her heart-her “kindest” friend Chloe Doggett, who tragically passed away in a house fire in 2021 at age 28, and the two young children Chloe left behind.

Jasmine, 32, recalls Chloe as a “truly beautiful human being” and one of her oldest childhood friends, describing their bond as being “more like sisters.” By running the Manchester Marathon as a young mother living with Crohn’s disease, Jasmine aims to honor Chloe’s memory and create something meaningful for Chloe’s son Rhiley, now 12, and daughter Harley, five.

Chloe, originally from Swindon before moving to Ystradgynlais as a young adult, died in hospital three days after firefighters rescued her from a fire in Tonypandy. An inquest revealed the blaze started when a child playing in a bedroom used a lighter to set fire to a toy, and Chloe was the only person unable to escape.

Jasmine said, “I was just shocked. I knew that there had been a fire and she was in hospital but when her sister Daisy told me that she was maybe not going to make it – I just didn’t really believe it at first. I just thought she was going to pull through.”

Reflecting on her friend, Jasmine said, “She was just so kind and the bubbliest person. She was always singing and dancing around school and she was so popular.”

She added, “She was loved by absolutely everyone and made them all laugh. I was shy and quieter – it was just really lovely just to have that bond with her.” Jasmine also remembered Chloe as “the most forgiving person in the world too. You could upset Chloe and she would just be laughing and joking with you. She just had such a kind heart.”

Jasmine, who now lives in Wantage with her partner and son Travis, first met Chloe at age 11 on their way to secondary school, instantly bonding over shared bus rides.

“Chloe and I went to school in Swindon, but the school we went to was probably about 45 minutes to an hour away so we had to get the bus there and that’s how we met,” Jasmine explained. “It was the time of iPods so we would sit down with one earphone in each. We just used to sit listening to music and became super duper close.”

She continued, “It was my iPod but she’d take control and she’s the sort of person that would have a favourite song and just listen to it on repeat constantly. We’d be on the bus for 45 minutes and it would just be the same song that she liked over and over. At the time it was a nuisance but we used to laugh about it.”

Jasmine still knows some of those songs “every single word to off by heart back to front because of her.” That playlist is what Jasmine plans to listen to during the marathon, bringing Chloe’s spirit with her and motivating her every step.

When Chloe moved to Ystradgynlais around age 17 with her mother, Jasmine followed to stay close, choosing to study business at Swansea University. It was there Jasmine became the first to hear the “amazing” news that Chloe was pregnant. “I think we were 18, and I was the first person that Chloe told that she was pregnant with Rhiley. She was just so excited,” Jasmine recalled.

Chloe even sneaked Jasmine into the hospital by pretending she was her sister so she could hold Rhiley just hours after his birth. “That was just amazing. He was such a beautiful, bubbly boy. He was lovely.” Jasmine watched Rhiley grow up while seeing her best friend become an “incredible mum.”

Just two days after Chloe’s funeral, Jasmine discovered she was pregnant herself, an experience that inspired her marathon run to raise money for Chloe’s children, who still live in Ystradgynlais with family.”Finding out I was pregnant so soon after the funeral was beautiful and hard. It just took me back to it immediately because Chloe would have been the first person I told after my partner,” Jasmine said.

“He was a beautiful distraction from everything that happened and I was so lucky to have that distraction. But I also felt really guilty for having something amazing happen to me when we were all going through something so horrific.”

This motivated Jasmine to give back through fundraising, saying, “I wanted to give back to the family and do something for the kids. Having a child of my own now, I can’t think about what would happen if something similar happened to me. I would want someone to support my child.”

Jasmine signed up for the marathon a year ago but only recently decided to dedicate it to Chloe’s memory. “I was out running one day, and I was thinking about what cause I could do it for and then it just hit me that I would love to do something for Chloe, for her memory, for her kids.”

That day, she even set a personal best, feeling inspired by the thought of running for her friend. The fundraiser has so far raised £800, which will go to Chloe’s mother Emma to use in the best way for the children, whether for their future, experiences, or anything that helps keep Chloe’s love alive.

Much of the support has come from Chloe’s school friends and family, showing how deeply loved she was and still is. Jasmine said, “I want the kids to be protected, so it’s amazing to do something that shows them how incredible and well loved their mum was.”

She began running seriously just over a year ago, and despite the challenges of training with Crohn’s disease and caring for a toddler, Jasmine has found purpose in her goal. “Having that purpose of raising money for Chloe and the kids has just spurred me on,” she said.

“With having a toddler and Crohn’s, I’ve struggled to run as often as I needed to but I’m feeling confident. My furthest run has been 30km and the marathon is 42k. After that run, I felt like I could do more so it’s going to be ok and knowing what I’m running for has made me more determined.”