I WANT TO FEEL HIS HEART
Mother of alleged assault victim proud to share his gift of life
NIKKI Thomson hopes to feel her son Brett Thomson’s heart again, after the 32-year-old’s organs were donated following his death last month. Brett (pictured with his mum, right) died in an alleged attack outside the Pier Bar in Cairns.
“Fingers crossed, I get to feel Brett’s heart again,” she said.
THE mother of alleged fatal assault victim Brett Thomson lives in hope she will one day feel his heart beating in the chest of a man whose life he has saved.
The 32-year-old Trinity Beach roofer died in an alleged attack outside the Pier Bar in Cairns last month, with Trinity Park man Timothy John England, 32, charged with unlawful striking causing death.
Nikki Thomson said her son’s heart, liver and kidneys had all been donated – and medical staff had told her the heart had been a perfect match.
“There’s probably someone out there buying a surfboard now without knowing why,” she said about the recipient of her surfy son’s heart. “He had a massive heart and that person who has it is very lucky.
“My son has saved four lives.”
Ms Thomson said she did not know the identities of the four people who had received her boy’s organs, but there was a chance they would make contact in the future.
“Fingers crossed, I get to feel Brett’s heart again,” she said. “That’s something I’m going to look forward to.”
In her first interview since her son’s death, Ms Thomson urged young men to think about their own mothers.
“In a minute, this has changed everyone’s lives forever,” she said.
“No mother deserves to have that call at 3am that their child has severe head injuries and might not live.
“I wouldn’t wish this on my worst enemy. “It is a horrible pain.” Ms Thomson said her son’s body had been cremated and, true to his “gyspy” travelling tendencies, the ashes were gradually being scattered at his favourite beaches around Australia.
“I just hope the young ones read this,” she said. “They’ve all got mothers. “They don’t want their mothers to feel the way I feel.
“It just hurts so much.” Yesterday marked the end of DonateLife Week with medical authorities encouraging Australians to register to be organ and tissue donors at donatelife.gov.au