Tuesday, July 8, 2025

‘We shared something unique, both our children died playing the game they loved’

Thirteen years ago last month, Lizzie Watkins was playing in an Australian premier state match for North Coast Raiders at Curtin University alongside her sister, Catherine. Midway through the match a ball deflected off Lizzie’s stick and hit her in the head. Catherine attempted CPR on her 24-year-old sister before she was rushed to hospital. Tragically, she died that night.

Tom Wilson was just 22 when he died in a freak hockey accident in the winter of 2015. Taking part in a men’s 1s training session at England’s Old Loughtonians HC, he was accidentally hit on the head by a stick. He was given CPR by team-mates and airlifted to hospital, but died after suffering a major cerebral hemorrhage.

Both Tom and Lizzie had, unbeknown to their parents, signed up as organ donors before they died. Lizzie’s parents found out in the ICU, Tom’s team-mates’ CPR administering having helped preserve his vital organs that night. 

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1 COMMENT

  1. An emotional and heartwarming story of being able to finally meet despite the tragic circumstances, and Lisa should be very proud at what she is doing to keep Tom’s story alive.

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