THIS heartbreaking last photo shows a new dad meeting his baby daughter for the first time in the hospital just before his life support machine was turned off.
George Fenlon, 23, died three months after being attacked on a night out in Blackpool, Lancashire.
7
7
His partner Beth Turner, 23, was heavily pregnant at the time of the attack and gave birth to their daughter just two weeks before he died.
The baby was named Clara Georgia, after her dad.
While George never regained consciousness, he was able to meet his daughter in the hospital, and George’s heartbroken mum, Melissa, captured the touching moment.
Melissa, 53, said: “Looking back now, I’m not sure how we all got through it, the range of emotions we had to go through was horrendous.
Read more on head injuries
“Beth wanted Clara to meet George and have a little bit of time with him. So she had a C-section and she had a couple of weeks in the hospital with him where she saw him every day.
“It was important that she did that because we’ve got memories, we’ve got pictures.
“The hospital did a lot, we’ve also got little prints of Clara’s and George’s hands together.”
His girlfriend was six or seven months pregnant at that time, so we were all just in shock, and when we saw him, it was pretty horrific.
Melissa
Police were called at around 2am on August 15 last year to a report of an assault at The Strand in Blackpool.
They found George, a bartender at Revolution Bar, had suffered severe head injuries.
He was rushed to Royal Preston Hospital and put on a life support machine but tragically died in hospital on November 22.
An inquest opening heard George collapsed and lost consciousness after the attack.
A post-mortem found his cause of death was complications of blunt head trauma.
Rhys Jones, 26, of Cannock, Staffordshire, has been charged with murder and will stand trial in June.
How serious are head injuries?
MOST head injuries won’t be that serious, according to the NHS.
But it’s important to get medical help if you or your child have any symptoms after a head injury.
This indicates you might have concussion that can last several weeks.
A severe head injury can result in pressure being placed on the brain because of bleeding, blood clots or a build-up of fluid.
This can sometimes lead to brain damage, which can be temporary or permanent.
Around 1 in every 2,000 people who attend an A&E department with a head injury dies as a result of their injury.
You should also go to A&E if you think someone has been injured intentionally.
Source: NHS
Melissa explained the ordeal: “We were all in shock, we weren’t sure what was happening.
“It was one of his friends who phoned; he said something had happened, but no one was sure what.
“Then we heard George had gone to Royal Preston Hospital, and we didn’t know why, but when we got more information, we found out he had a severe head injury, so Preston was the best place for him.
“His girlfriend was six or seven months pregnant at that time, so we were all just in shock, and when we saw him, it was pretty horrific.”
‘KEEP HIS MEMORY ALIVE’
Six months after his death, Melissa is now hoping to create a lasting legacy for her ‘fun-loving’ son.
She has organised a fundraising event in July called ‘The Fenlon Football Funday’ in Stanley Park in the resort.
It will feature a football tournament and kids’ entertainment.
7
7
7
Melissa said of George: “He just wanted to make people laugh, he was a fun loving guy and very easy going, nothing really fazed him to be honest.
“Clara’s favourite TV show is Teletubbies, and he was like a big Teletubby, I suppose, just daft, and it’s sad that Clara will never experience that.
“So the fun day is for Clara and all of George’s friends to keep his memory alive.
“George was just so popular that it’ll be nice for the youngsters of Blackpool not to be sad, but instead remember George through Clara.
“If it’s a success this year, I’m hoping it will be an annual event.
“It’s just what George was; he was a fun-loving guy who loved his football, so it’s what George would have wanted – for everyone to have a nice day.”
Revolution Bar, where George worked, will continue the celebrations in the evening and create a cocktail in his name.
All proceeds will go towards Elliot’s Place, a local charity dedicated to supporting young men with their mental health and well-being.
Melissa added: “George’s friends have been struggling with his loss so the charity just spoke to me, it made sense.”
7
7