Teacher dies after football match clash
Dec 8 2006 By Kevin Donald, The Journal
A teacher died of a heart attack after he was tackled during a football match.
Andy Walker, 40, was playing for Newcastle's City Church in the North- East Christian Fellowship Football League match with Stockton Baptist Church when the tragedy happened.
The match, at Paddy Freeman's Park, Heaton, Newcastle, was half-an-hour old when Mr Walker, who played as a sweeper, went for the ball with an opposition player.
Mr Walker, who lived in Bondicar Terrace, Blyth, Northumberland, with his partner Alexis, went down in the clash but failed to get to his feet.
City Church manager Andy Bramhall told how the team's goalkeeper, Norman Trainer, went over and saw Andy was unconscious and put him into the recovery position. Mr Walker was given mouth to mouth and cardiac massage before an ambulance took him to Newcastle General Hospital's intensive care unit, but he never regained consciousness.
He remained in intensive care over the weekend following Saturday's tragedy, but was pronounced dead on Monday afternoon.
The cause of death was cardiac arrest, but it is not known whether this was spontaneous or a rare reaction known as commotio cordis.
Usually seen in sport, commotio cordis is triggered by a moderate blow to the chest which disrupts the heart beat.
Mr Walker was a teacher at Richardson Dees Community Primary School, in Wallsend.
In a statement, his family said: "Andy was a guy who made a huge impact on everyone who knew him. Whatever the circumstances, Andy was always positive, encouraging and optimistic. His sense of humour and genuine warmth made him a great friend, and his hard work and dedication to the kids in his class made him a fantastic teacher.
"He was a talented all-rounder who'd already enjoyed a successful legal career before retraining to teach.
"He was a great sportsman but also musical and creative. Andy's death will leave a huge hole in many lives."
Richardson Dees headteacher Louise Payne said the school was together in its sadness.
She added: "For a while we will be offering special support for our pupils and staff at this very sad time.
"Andrew Walker was a special person in our school. In the near future the whole school will think about a suitable memorial."
A funeral service is to be held today (FRI) at 2.30pm in Christ Church, Melbourne Street. The Walker family have asked for donations to be made to St Oswald's Hospice instead of flowers.
