Father says son ‘died doing what he loved’

THE FATHER of a 14-year-old footballer who died when he collided with another player while trying to save a goal says his son “went out doing what he loved”.

Goalkeeper Luca Campanaro, who played for Bedgrove Dynamos FC, suffered a fatal brain injury in the “freak accident” during an under15s away match against Harefield United in west London on Sunday.

His father, Americo Campanaro, said: “My boy went doing what he loved. I would rather he went out that way than being knocked down by a bus.”

He explained his son, from Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire, had gone into a sliding tackle and suffered an impact to his head.

Mr Campanaro, who coached the team, said: “He went to sit up and literally went straight back down and that’s when I knew something was wrong and I went on to the pitch and started the worst three days of my life.” Mr Campanaro said his son’s organs were donated and, if successful, had saved four lives, adding: “There’s part of my boy that lives on in the country or around the world, the boy would have done anything for anyone and his last gift has been to carry on doing that.”

Mr Campanaro said he does not believe his son’s death should be an argument for restricting how people play football, but the family wishes to support medical research into brain injuries. A crowdfunding page in support of the family had raised more than £20,000 yesterday.