THE parents of tragic Elliott Braybrooke have paid tribute to their loving son who ‘would have done anything for anyone’.
Tim and Jane Braybrooke, of Brockworth in Yate, said their 14-year-old son lived to play rugby and wanted to turn professional when he was older.
Mr Braybrooke, 1st team manager at Chipping Sodbury Rugby Club, said: "Elliott started playing football first for St Nicholas youth section but he soon started throwing himself on the floor and we thought we should get him into rugby.
"He was 6ft and had size 12 feet so he was born to play second row.
"He would come with me every Saturday to hand out water to the 1st team and I would go and watch him every Sunday and support him."
The teenager, a Gloucester Rugby Club and West Ham United FC fan, wanted to play rugby for Fiji or join the police.
Mr Braybrooke, a recruitment consultant for mobile phone firm Orange, said he hoped Elliott was being looked after by Dan Knight, a member of CSRFC who died last month aged 28.
"I think Elliott and Dan are up there together," said Mr Braybrooke.
"They always mucked about together and would chuck a ball about."
Elliott, a Year 9 pupil at Brimsham Green School, died on Wednesday, May 27 at the BRI Children’s Hospital in Bristol. He was taken ill suddenly the day before while playing on a trampoline at a friend’s house in Iron Acton.
It is believed the teenager may have suffered from Sudden Death Syndrome, an unexplained cardiac arrest similar to cot death in young children.
Mrs Braybrooke, a nurse at Frenchay Hospital, said: "He was supposed to be doing his paper round but if he had, he might have collapsed and not been found for a long time with no chance of him being revived.
"It gives me some comfort to know he would not have known what was about to happen and that he went enjoying himself with his mates."
She praised her colleagues at both Frenchay, where Elliott was first admitted, and at the BRI for giving ‘110 percent’ to save her son.
"I know they worked above and beyond their call of duty that day," she said.
"I was working when I received the call that Elliott was ill but my colleagues remained totally professional and gave 110 percent.
"It is comforting for us to know that he was never with total strangers because the doctors and nurses all knew him."
Elliott suffered from epilepsy and had a seizure two weeks before his death.
"We may never know why he died," added Mrs Braybrooke. "Part of me wants to know and part of me just knows he has gone while he was enjoying himself."
She said her son loved bacon sandwiches and his favourite colour was pink.
She added: "Elliott was always thinking of others and liked looking after people. He was totally unselfish and never grumbled."
His brother Thomas, 19, a porter at Frenchay Hospital, said he would miss picking Elliott up from school.
A colourful funeral for Elliott is being held at Westerleigh Crematorium on Tuesday, June 9 (1pm). His friends and family are asked to wear their rugby club suits, sports tops and dresses.
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