Mystery over death of ‘perfectly healthy’ sport-mad teenager who died in his girlfriend’s arms while watching rugby

  • Jack Thomas had represented Wales at Taekwondo
  • Teenager was an accomplished rugby player and cricketer
  • Schoolboy dropped a cup of tea, groaned, and then died
  • Predicted to get A* grades in his GCSEs

By
Anna Edwards

06:21 EST, 2 August 2012

|

06:23 EST, 2 August 2012

Super healthy schoolboy Jack Thomas from Oakdale, South Wales, died in his girlfriend's arms while having a cup of tea

Super healthy schoolboy Jack Thomas from Oakdale, South Wales, died in his girlfriend’s arms while having a cup of tea

A healthy sports-mad schoolboy who died watching TV had nothing wrong with him, an inquest heard today.

Jack Thomas, 15, was photographed looking happy and smiling less than five minutes before he suddenly stopped breathing.

The keen sportsman let out a ‘couple of light groans’ as he sipped a cup of tea and then died in his girlfriend’s arms.

The inquest heard a post mortem examination found that Jack was ‘a perfectly healthy, normal teenager’ with no medical problems.

Pathologist Dr Edward Williams said: ‘There was no sign of any injury and no abnormalities in the heart and arteries.’

Jack had represented Wales at Taekwondo and was an accomplished rugby player, cricketer and all round sportsman.

The inquest heard Jack, of Caerphilly, South Wales, had walked three miles to his girlfriend’s home on the day of the tragedy in February.

Jack and his girlfriend Emily Brown, 15, settled down on the settee to watch Wales play Scotland in rugby’s Six Nations.

Her father Richard Brown told the hearing: ‘At half time Emily took photographs of Jack smiling and pulling faces.

‘But then she realised something was wrong.

‘Jack tipped his cup of tea over himself and let out a couple of light groans.’

Mr Brown carried out CPR on Jack until an ambulance arrived.

He added: ‘Jack was at our home for about 40 minutes and didn’t complain of feeling unwell.’

The inquest in Newport recorded a verdict that Jack died of natural causes.

It was said ‘the most likely cause of death’ was cardiac arrhythmia where the heart beats out of control – but leaves no trace that can be seen in a post mortem.

Mourning: His devastated mother June, (left) younger brother Owain (second from right) and father Grant (right) are 'in bits' at the death of their beloved Jack

Mourning: His devastated mother June, (left) younger brother Owain (second from right) and father Grant (right) are ‘in bits’ at the death of their beloved Jack

Jack was 'full of life and energy' and on the day he died walked three miles to his girlfriend's home

Jack was ‘full of life and energy’ and on the day he died walked three miles to his girlfriend’s home

Gwent Coroner David Bowen told the teenager’s parents: ‘Jack had not been in an accident and there was no sign of drugs or alcohol in his bloodsteam.

‘This may not provide you with the clear-cut answer you were looking for, but whatever it was, it was wholly natural in origin.

‘Jack would have known nothing at all – there would have been no warnings.’

He was predicted to get A stars in his GCSEs this summer and had won a place at a sixth form college.

His heartbroken parents Grant and June Thomas are now campaigning for young people to be screened for potential heart defects

Mrs Thomas said: ‘He was a very happy, intelligent, fun-loving young man.

‘None of us will ever forget him – he’ll be in our hearts for ever.’

Electrician Mr Thomas said: ‘Jack had never been ill in his life – the worst illness he’d had was tonsillitis and had his tonsils out when he was three.

‘He was full of life and energy – he was a super-fit Taekwondo expert who trained six times a week.

‘We as a family are in bits, words don’t even come close to to explaining how we feel.

‘Jack wasn’t just my son he was my best friend. He really was the perfect son in every way.’

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thoughts are with your family at this sad sad time

Very very tragic. It’s allways tragic when a young child dies like that, so suddenly without warning or even reason. Life seems unfair sometimes, as in this case, but that’s life i guess. Losing someone close to you is allways unfair, no matter how they die. A big empty void is left after that person. I cannot even begin to understand how his girlfriend feels having him pass away in her arms?? My condolences to her and of course his family.

Terribly sad thinking of his family at this sad time :o(

What do you even say after reading something like this – as a parent myself I cant even begin to think what his family must be going through. Thank god he didnt suffer in any way, RIP Jack x

Bless you, may you rest in Piece!
God bless.

What do you even say after reading something like this – as a parent myself I cant even begin to think what his family must be going through. Thank god he didnt suffer in any way, RIP Jack x

RIP Jack.

How dreadfully sad.
My cousin died last month, with a similar diagnosis. He went to bed, perfectly healthy – as far as we knew, and never woke up again. The post mortem could find no tangible cause of death and like Jacks family, we will never have a ‘reason’ for why this awful thing happened.
My heart goes out to the Thomas family and friends of Jack. The only blessing, if you can call it that, is that Jack didn’t suffer and would probably not have known what was happening. That is the only comfort that we have, that my cousin didn’t suffer and would not have known that death was imminent.
God bless everyone who is suffering with the loss of a loved one.
R.I.P. Jack – gone much too soon.

I have just had a shiver down my spine after reading this story.
Soo very sad, handsome lovely young man. My greatest fears ever to have anything happening to my two little boys. I can’t imagine the Pain sadness his family and friends are experiencing.
RIP

How horribly sad! I feel so sorry for the family- I can’t even imagine how they must feel. Rest in peace Jack x

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