Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Loving Cole saves three lives after he’s robbed of his own
Crash boy’s organ donation
A BOY who was killed by a car while riding his bike home has saved three lives through organ donation.
Cole Roper, 12, was cycling in the road when he was hit by an uninsured driver. The schoolboy, who died later in hospital, had previously talked with his mum Helen about being a donor.
She said: “It’s not usually the sort of conversation you have with your young son, but we had spoken about it not long before it happened.
“He said ‘they can take everything but not my eyes’.
“That was the sort of boy he was – so funny and loving.”
Two of the people who received an organ from
Cole have written to his mum to say thanks.
Cole was hit by a Vauxhall Astra being driven by Damien Wayne in September 2019.
The driver, who admitted causing death by driving a car not covered by a valid insurance policy, was this month handed a suspended prison sentence.
Cole’s family say the fact Wayne, 34, was over the speed limit at the time of the accident was “brushed over” in court. Helen, of Cefn Fforest in Caerphilly County Borough, said: “I feel incredibly sorry for the man who hit my son. “Nobody leaves the house wanting to knock someone off their bike. But I believe my son would potentially still be here if the driver was driving at the speed limit, and I feel that has been brushed over in this case.”
The Crown Prosecution Service said Wayne was driving at 48mph at least in a 40mph zone near Aberbargoed.
He tried to avoid a collision but hit Cole and his friend who had veered too far into the middle of the road, the court heard.
It was said the other lad was treated in hospital for his injuries before being released. Helen, who lives with her partner and two children Lillian and Peighton, said: “I find it insulting and very upsetting that the CPS has told me to take comfort in a guilty plea.
“They have told me that the accident would still have happened if he was driving at the speed limit. How can they honestly tell me that?
“How can him travelling over the speed limit not impact on the potential outcome of my boy’s death?”
The driver, from Bargoed, was jailed for 16 weeks, suspended for 18 months. He was also ordered to carry out 140 hours of unpaid work and banned from driving for two years.
The CPS said: “Cole’s life was cut tragically short and our thoughts remain with his family. Evidence that Wayne was speeding and how this contributed to Cole’s death formed an integral part of our case.”