Award for organ donor dad killed in bike prank

Reece Thomas Thompson died a week after crashing a bike into a lamp post in Bangor, Gwynedd

A 19-year-old father died in a cycling accident following a drunken prank, an inquest has heard.

Reece Thomas Thompson hit a lamp post at the bottom of a steep hill in Bangor, Gwynedd, after a day out drinking with friends.

He has been nominated for an award posthumously after agreeing to be an organ donor before the accident, and three people received life-changing transplants.

The keen sportsman and "amazing father" to a young son suffered a severe head injury, dying a week later in hospital in Stoke in July 2022, a hearing in Caernarfon was told.

The north west Wales senior coroner Kate Robertson recorded a conclusion that the death was an accident.

He had just returned from celebrating the wedding of his mother and father in the Republic of Ireland, and had been out with friends for the day.

In statements, the coroner's court was told the apprentice electrician had been drinking vodka and that by the end of the afternoon the group were "quite drunk".

They went out in the evening to a number of pubs, leaving the upper Bangor area in the early hours of the morning.

But in a statement, his friend Jack Lloyd said they saw a bicycle leaning against a wall as they walked down the steep Glanrafon Hill.

"I just knew Reece would do something daft - I just knew," he said.

Friends described how Mr Thomas Thompson "flew past" on the bike, before crashing into a lamp post at the bottom of the hill.

He was thrown over the handlebars and found unconscious and unresponsive.

Glanrafon Hill in Bangor separates the lower and upper parts of the city, and is notoriously steep

After initially being assessed at Ysbyty Gwynedd, he was taken to the Royal Stoke Hospital where he underwent surgery for an acute blood clot on the brain and a fractured skull.

However, he failed to make a recovery, and a decision was taken by his family to allow life support to be stopped. He died on 26 July.

He was a well known local sportsman, playing for a number of football clubs, including Llandudno FC and Bethesda Athletic.

He also played rugby for the regional Rygbi Gogledd Cymru side.

Mr Thomas Thompson was a keen sportsman, formerly with Rygbi Gogledd Cymru, and playing football for Llandudno and Bethesda

The coroner said it was clear the death was unintentional and unintended, and was an accident.

Ms Robertson went on to praise Mr Thomas Thompson for having had discussions with his parents about becoming an organ donor.

She told his parents Caryl and Dewi Thomas Thompson that their son was "clearly incredibly loved by you" and "had his full life ahead of him".

"I hope there is some comfort for you in knowing that he wanted to donate some of his organs."

The coroner said it highlighted the need for people to talk about organ donation, and let others know their wishes if anything was to happen to them.

She added that Mr Thomas Thompson had been mature and he deserved credit for his "selfless" act that helped preserve the life of others.

His parents described him as an "amazing" father to his young son Grayson

Speaking after the inquest, his parents said their son was able to help kidney transplant patients, including one who had been waiting eight years for a suitable donor.

He was also able to help another patient who needed a life-saving liver transplant.

Mr Thomas Thompson has been nominated for a posthumous Order of St John's award for the organ donations.

The family said a charity has also been established in his memory, to help assist others who need to care for loved ones taken to hospital in Stoke, which is the main severe trauma centre for north Wales.