In memory of George Casey

This December, thanks to The Casey family, we’re shining a different light on Christmas.

In tribute to all our bereaved families, for whom the festive period is not always a cheer-filled season, we’re sharing this memory to highlight how this time of the year can be extremely difficult for some families.

We hope this Christmas more families will focus less on the material things and more on the people around the table. Appreciate and cherish your time together, make special memories and hold your loved ones tight.

Throughout this festive period, London’s Air Ambulance Charity will continue to be here for London, today, tomorrow, always.

Pre-hospital care

Our team of expert medics provide complex medical procedures on scene, when someone doesn’t have time to make it to hospital. We do everything we can to deliver the best outcome for our patients but very sadly and despite the best of efforts, some of our patients are so badly injured they die. Their families find themselves in the painful position of being suddenly and unexpectedly bereaved.

In July 2023, our team attended to 26 year old George Casey after he was struck by a car in South London. Very sadly, George died of his injuries in hospital a few days later.

Angela Casey, George’s mother, said to us:

“Although your team didn’t manage to keep him alive, they brought him back to life and gave us time with him. They gave us the chance to make memories with him, learn more about him and say goodbye together as a family. That is something we will forever cherish and be eternally grateful for.”

George Casey – his incident

“George was born in 1997, within 20 minutes of labour and that’s how he lived his life,” said Angela, “fast paced, always busy, always moving.

“He always had a football with him, a smile on his face and could do whatever he put his mind to.”

By the age of 15, George had a professional football contract with Stevenage and secured an adult first-team contract at 17. Then he went semi-pro, but remained focused on being healthy and his fitness, running ultra-marathons frequently.

“That Saturday morning in July – the last time I saw him – he was heading out to do a half marathon with Gary, his dad,” said Angela. “That evening he went to Battersea with friends, he checked in with us late evening before we went to bed.

“But then I got a call at 03:55 – his best friend Jack was phoning me. I remember his words, ‘Angela I’m sorry to tell you… we were in a chicken shop and then when we came out, George got run over.’

“His voice broke and I just knew it was bad. I started screaming for George.”

The hospital experience for the family

Gary spoke to a policewoman who was on scene, who informed the family that paramedics were working on George. Shortly later, a police car arrived at their house, rushing Angela and Gary to hospital on blue lights. “In the car, I started working out how I was going to get my eldest son home from Cardiff, while my daughter drove herself to the hospital.”

Arriving at the hospital, the family found George’s friends waiting for them, while George was in the resuscitation room. “They were all so white, you could tell it was bad. All I could do was cuddle them,” said Angela.

London’s Air Ambulance’s Dr John Walls and Paramedic Jonny Merefield were the first to visit the family in the relative’s room. “They told me, ‘You have a very poorly boy, but he’s a little bit better than he was an hour ago,’ remembered Angela.

After a while, hospital doctors with tears in their eyes approached the family. They told The Caseys that George was not going to make it – his brain injury was so severe it was inoperable and he wasn’t going to survive.

Over the next few days, George had a few more tests that confirmed that he was brainstem dead. Many family members and friends visited, paying their respects and saying their goodbyes.

“That period of time was surprisingly lovely,” said Angela, “we learnt so much about George, shared so many memories and made new relationships with his colleagues and friends.”

Saying goodbye

In the days leading up to George’s death, the family restricted visitors to immediate family.

“Gary and I had discussed organ donation and we wanted that to happen – we needed something good to come out of it all.

“We made our peace and together, on his final day, we spoke to George. We told him we loved him; we told him we were so proud of him. And we told him it was time and he could let go: he could fly away.”

Twenty minutes later, George did as his parents had said and passed away. “We told him to go and he did,” said Angela. “The machines were technically keeping his organs alive, but he had gone.”

George’s parents and siblings then together escorted him to the hospital theatre, surrounded by photographs and momentos, where he donated his heart, kidneys, liver and pancreas to four grateful individuals.

“Without the air ambulance team, that wouldn’t have been possible,” said Angela. “I’m so glad this awful time was able to have some good in it.”

Life without George

“He was a real cheeky chappy,” said Angela, “so you’d always know he was in the house.

“If he walked in now, he’d be very loud and have a list of questions. So I do sense the quiet everyday.’’

In their nearby park, The Caseys have a memorial bench for George, where family and friends can visit. “We go there every day on our dog walk, it’s a nice place to go and think about George. For his birthday and other celebrations, we decorate it with flowers and balloons – you’ll often find someone drinking a Guiness for George on the bench!”

George’s ashes are in his room, which The Caseys have left exactly how he had it. “He’s amongst his football trophies and running medals, still home with us. We don’t want to spread the ashes, our bench is our gravestone.”

The first Christmas without George

“My birthday is Christmas Eve and before George passed we’d always go to our local pub with all our friends and family,” said Angela.

“But on the first Christmas without George, I didn’t know whether to do it. I was worried people would judge me for doing something fun, until one of George’s best friends told me that our Christmas Eve tradition was George’s favourite day of the year.

“I didn’t know that and so it made me decide to do it. I pushed myself and we went, there were tears of course, but there were also smiles and it was nice.

“George would want us to celebrate and have a drink and be together.”

On Christmas Day itself, The Caseys surrounded themselves with family and Angela busied herself in the kitchen. “I didn’t want a lot of time to think about it, so I made sure we were busy.

“We toasted George and all thought of him – we also started a new tradition!

“Now, every year (this one will be the third), we set off fireworks on Christmas Day. My sister gets a rocket called Supernova (George’s favourite song!) which bursts into a heart in the sky.”

Reflecting on how she feels about the festive season without George, Angela shared that “it is actually New Year that I find harder.

“You’re going into a year that they’re not going to be a part of. The first time that happened, going into 2024, it was awful. The new year comes but they’ll never be there to see it, they’re stuck at the age they were.

“But we started another new tradition – we surround ourselves with family and have a Chinese. Then we write messages to George and release them into the sky on balloons.”

As the years pass on, Angela reflects that, against what society can sometimes suggest, time doesn’t help – it can get harder. “The second-year anniversary was so much harder than the first, that hit us all really hard.”

Advice for another mother or family in a similar situation

When asked for advice for another family who may find themselves unexpectedly bereaved, or who may be about to experience their first Christmas without a loved one, Angela said: “I would say do whatever is best for you.

“Hide away under the duvet if you want to and don’t feel guilty about it. But for me, surrounding myself with people who loved him helped me – and it helped them too.

“I would also say, start a new tradition. Do something a little bit different.”

Many of George’s family and friends have been open and forthcoming about talking about George and sharing their memories of him, and this has really helped The Caseys.

“Everyone knew to speak about George – from the start, even in hospital, we all spoke about him. Everyone knew that wasn’t forbidden, which helps, because you want to talk about them.”

Through a charity called Road Peace, Angela was introduced to another mother who had also lost their middle son. “We shared our experiences and although we’ve handled some things differently, having a befriender like that really helped.

“I’d recommend taking any chance you can to talk to someone who completely understands what you’ve gone through.”

The Number 8 Foundation

George’s eldest brother Charlie, decided to set up a charitable foundation in memory of George – The Number 8 Foundation. Through this foundation, The Caseys have fundraised over £150,000 for multiple organisations, including London’s Air Ambulance Charity, with charity balls, football tournaments, auctions and more.

So far, the foundation has donated an incredible £50,000 to London’s Air Ambulance Charity, as well as encouraging other individuals and families to organise their own fundraising events.

“It’s been really lovely doing things in his memory and watching everyone come together and support us. He would have loved it, everyone being together and doing these events.”

We’re so thankful to The Caseys and all their family and friends for their incredible generosity. Their donations will ensure our service can continue to be there for London, bringing hope to every emergency.

Alongside this, we thank them for their openness in sharing George’s memory with us. We hope many families will find comfort and solace in reading this shared experience, during this festive season which can be a difficult period for so many.

This Christmas, as urged by Angela, find time to “hold your loved ones tight and make memories together”.

Our thoughts go out to all bereaved families this festive season.

May George rest in peace.