Lee Davy continues his confessions series by delving into the difficulty of writing about the passing of a member of the poker community.

Death has been on my mind a lot recently. I’m 40, and as I age so does everyone else. For many years I avoided the Grim Reaper. My Mum turned 60 this weekend, and my Dad is only 63. They are mere pups in my eras demographic of parents.

Both my mother and father are not exactly pillars of health. Until very recently, both have smoked for many years, spent enough hours in the pub to make me worry about their alcohol consumption, lead very sedentary lifestyles, and eat a lot of the wrong things.

By contrast I am the complete opposite. I don’t drink, smoke, lead an active lifestyle, and am a vegan. I also coach people to change their lifestyle habits, so they can give themselves the best chance of having a long and healthy lifestyle. But try as I might I cannot influence my parents one iota.