Fund is launched to help family of tragic sportsman
A FUND has been set up to help the family of a talented Carmarthen sportsman who died suddenly.
Twenty- eight- year- old Paul Rees passed away on Sunday, March 24 at the town’s Glangwili Hospital.
Now friend Chris Phillips has launched a GoFundMe page to help Paul’s partner Amy and two children Riley Jay, aged six and 18 month-old Daisy Joy.
The online fund has already seen almost £1,400 raised in a matter of days.
Chris, aged 35, who knew Paul through playing rugby with him, said he wanted to try to help the family as much as possible and has been taken aback at how much people have given so far.
He said: “I set up the fund in order to try to help Paul’s partner Amy and two beautiful little children.
“Paul was taken from his family and friends way too soon.
“Anyone who knew Paul would know he was one of the nicest guys you could ever meet.
“He was full of heart and smiles who would do anything for anyone. He was always the life and soul. The awful news has hit the community bad, which shows how well loved Paul was.”
Three days before passing away, Paul had been taken to the hospital after injuring himself while using a loft ladder at a new home he was about to move into in the town.
He was discharged but died at the hospital when he returned in pain on the Sunday.
Chris, who lives in Johnstown, added: “It just makes you think, he had just bought a house and of course everyone’s thoughts are with the family.
“If this fund can go some way in helping them over the coming weeks and months then it is something.”
Paul was an avid sports player and was a talent in both football and rugby teams locally and in the Gwendraeth Valley and Llanelli.
As captain, he led FC Carmarthen in Division 2 of the Carmarthenshire League and had played rugby at junior, youth and senior level with Carmarthen Athletic RFC, as well as stints with Scarlets youth, Carmarthen Quins RFC and Mynyddygarreg RFC.
He worked as a grounds keeper at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David in Carmarthen and other campuses and was a former pupil of Maridunum school and St Mary’s primary in Carmarthen.
At the weekend, FC Carmarthen held a minute’s silence and minute’s applause ahead of Saturday’s cup semi-final at Graig Campus in Llanelli, when his No. 6 shirt was retired.
An inquest into his death is set to be held over coming months.
The GoFundMe page can be found by going to www. gofundme.com and searching for ‘Fund for Paul Rees’ Partner & Children’.