Tributes as City fan, 18, drops dead on night out
A LEICESTER City fan celebrating the end of his exams collapsed in a nightclub and died.
George Franks-Herbert, 18, who grew up in Wales and had gone to university in Bristol, had been a lifelong Foxes supporter along with his dad, Peter.
In the early hours of Tuesday, February 1, he was in the Gravity nightclub in Bristol with friends when he became ill.
Paramedics were called but despite their best efforts, were unable to revive him.
Police said there were no suspicious circumstances and his family, from Pontyclun in Wales, have been told he died from a “medical event”.
Alongside following the Foxes, George’s other passions were science and acting. He had worked alongside Jack Whitehall and American actress Eva Longoria in the BBC’s Decline and Fall.
Peter is a retired biochemist and George had been following his father’s footsteps, studying biochemistry at Bristol University.
Peter, 60, said: “We are waiting for the post-mortem examination results but we’ve been told it was a medical event.
“He was modest, kind, warm, caring and shy. We’ve had so many messages saying he was a lovely and thoughtful young man.
“He came home for Christmas and spent the whole time studying for his exams. He was doing very well at university.
“George was the baby of the family, we are going to miss him so much.”
Mum Diane, 57, said: “Acting and performing was his hobby. He went to stage school from being very young.
“His first stage role was when he was just five months old playing baby Jesus in a church nativity.”
Diane and Peter had been woken by police at 3am to be told their son, the youngest of four children, had died.
His parents said they travelled to Bristol regularly to take George out for meals as a break from his studies and he made regular trips back home during his first term in the city.
His father said: “He came home every few weeks and we would go and see him.
“We have been spending time looking at old photographs and remembering happy times together.”
Professor Sarah Purdy, pro vicechancellor for student experience at Bristol University, said: “George was a popular student who had made lots of friends and he was enjoying his time in Bristol.
“Academically, he was doing really well, thriving in his studies and getting first class marks.
“I know this news will affect many of our students and staff deeply.
“On behalf of the university, I would like to offer our sincere condolences to his family and friends at this incredibly difficult time.
GEORGE WAS A LIFELONG FOXES SUPPORTER WITH HIS DAD