Football death goalkeeper: TV show prompted organ donation

Luca Campanaro was fatally injured while playing in goal for Bedgrove Dynamos

A 14-year-old goalkeeper who died after being injured in a match decided to become an organ donor after watching a TV show just weeks earlier.

Luca Campanaro was injured while playing for Bedgrove Dynamos in Hillingdon, west London, on Sunday. He died the following day.

His mum Jo Campanaro said she and Luca, from Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, had recently spoken about organ donation.

She said it made the decision to donate "so much easier for me and his dad".

Ms Campanaro said after watching the television show Luca "made his mind up and he was happy to donate everything apart from his eyes".

On Tuesday his father Americo Campanaro said "four lives are going to be saved because of Luca" thanks to his organ donation.

Jo Campanaro was at the match when her son was injured

The teenager had been playing an under-15 match against Harefield United when he collided with another player. He was airlifted to hospital but died the following day.

Ms Campanaro said there was "no fault with either player".

She added: "You go to football on the Sunday and you expect to bring your son home and sadly this week I haven't."

Ms Campanaro was watching the match with Luca's grandfather Gerard Conroy, a former RAF nurse, who rushed to help the teenager when he was injured.

She said: "I knew it was serious from the minute he went down and he didn't get back up, so I stayed away. I was in no state to be able to be able support him.

"I knew my dad was there with him, so I left my dad dealing with the situation as best he could."

Ms Campanaro said £21,000 donated to the family following Luca's death would cover the cost of her son's air ambulance and be given to a brain injury charity.