Dive for Dom
Andy Tomlinson is raising money for Sheffield Children's Hospital Charity
Story
Dom's story..
1991, It was at Sheffield's Northern General hospital on the Tuesday evening that Sharon was told she was to have her baby the very next day..Sharon was rushed in over the weekend with internal bleeding and the upshot was she was having her baby four weeks premature..Normally you would be delighted..we both were really but the Wednesday was the 13th Nov 1991..How ironic that date proved to be in later years as Sharon did say its unlucky for some..
So after a day in laybour around 4pm Sharon gave birth to a beautiful but tiny baby boy..4 lb 2 oz..We named him Dominic James and we were overjoyed then sad when the doctors informed us he would have to stay in hospital because he was so small and until he could feed on his own..so after a couple of nights we left him..pipes through his nose and hands..it was so upsetting for Sharon to leave her new son but i knew it was right and that after a couple of weeks he would be home to start our new life together..
Life at home in Wincobank in those days was so joyful watching Dominic grow and after two years we moved up to Norton where i grew up as a lad and nearer to my parents for babysitting duties..He had doting grandparents all through his early years..They did the usual stuff regarding stay overs ..day trips and walks through the park and into Derbyshire..Dom always called his Grandad Da..even through later years..
So as time passed Dom joined Norton Playschool where he was to meet his great friend Ryan..They in turn attended junior school at Norton Free..They became big mates along with the rest of the guys that are still around now..Dom seemed so happy as a young kid and began coming to football matches with me to watch our beloved Sheffield Wednesday..
He took a great interest in cricket and attended all the Yorkshire trials through the age groups and was a regular in the Norton Oakes senior teams from the age of 12..
But the one thing he did cherish was spending time with his mum..singing..dancing..watching tv together..they were so alike..
As a teenager Dom was a quiet kid..rather shy but with a wry sense of humour..a bit like his mum..His senior school days at Meadowhead seemed fun..Football and Cricket were becoming a feature in his life now and he started friendships that were to last a lifetime..
On leaving Meadowhead School he enrolled at Norton College on a sports studies scholarship and this paved the way for Dom to become a young man..He never changed and our little lad seemed destined for big and better things..His dry sense of humour would have his college mates in stitches..He was never naughty as a kid and didn't have an aggressive bone in his body..He was a good team player..always thinking of his mates..Holiday abroad to Zante and Magaluf were according to his mates..legendary..but he always came home to his mum..He worked behind the bar at Norton Oakes cricket club after leaving college and then started working with me on the building sites..he earned good money for his age and he was starting to become more outgoing and tales of his nights out began to mirror his mums..His 18th birthday at the dog track was where i first noticed Dom had now grown up..We looked on as proud parents that night..
Then his 21st birthday party at Portifino's..a family affair which Dom seemed to enjoy..
Through the early part of 2013 Dom seemed more quiet than usual and spent more time in his bedroom..but that's what all young kids do..
Then it was the start of the cricket season and I went with Dom to a mates shop where he spent £200 quid on new kit and he seemed really keen on the new season..He was to only play three games that year..
On the night of may 10th 2013 I received a knock at the door around 10.45pm..It was the railway police..they informed me that Dominic had been involved in an horrific incident at the end of the tunnel entering Sheffield Railway Station..my heart stopped and i couldn't really take it all in..Dom had last spoken to me at 9pm when he popped his head round the living room door to say he was nipping out for a bit..that's all..nothing more..did i question why..should I have..my god have those thoughts gone through my mind these last 12 months..but he was 21 years old..had his own car..
The police wouldn't say too much other than a train had been involved..my mind had gone..I just about pulled myself together to ring Sharon who was out with the girls as usual for a friday..
We met up at the Northern General where his life had began 21 years ago..we were still in shock as the doctors began to reveal the extent of Dom's injuries..too horrific to mention in public..they said he wasn't expected to survive these injuries..I nearly collapsed..Sharon simply went numb..At this point we didn't know why this had all happened but speculation led to a suicide attempt..
We saw Dom for the first time an hour later..he lay motionless on a bed in the critical care unit..we sat with him all night..tests were carried out right through the night into the morning..he never regained consciousness..at 1.10pm Saturday afternoon our beautiful 21 year old son was pronounced clinically dead..We were still in a state of shock..couldn't take it all in..we still didn't have any answers..but during the night we had discussed donating any of Dom's organs for transplant that were still functioning..We then had a meeting with the organ people and Dom was kept breathing until he was taken down later that night for surgery to remove his vital organs..6 people later survived organ transplant and are now flourishing in life..Dom lives on..
Our hearts ache and long for our son..we cry ourselves to sleep everynight..our lives will never be the same..our only child taken without any warning..was he depressed..I guess so but we never saw the warnings..what he did was so brave..he was so intent on dying he never thought of what it would do to his mum..according to the train driver he calmly walked across the track and simply stood before the train..never flinched..how final was that..no cry for help..Dom we miss you so much..god bless buddy..xx
I write this as I embark on another fundraising scheme to help the two charities which are dear to our hearts..the neo natal unit and the critical care unit at the Sheffield Childrens Hospital..£4000.00 has already been raised with a celebrity cricket match for the Sheffield Hospital Charities..another one is planned again in september..but the 'Dive For Dom' will be for the units up at the childrens this time..so me and three very good cricketers who happen to be very good friends of mine..Andy Tomlinson..Danny Kemp and Gareth Davies will jump out of a plane from a great height..wow..scary..not really but please support our event as we try to raise as much as we can for these tremendous units..
Before i go i leave you with this thought..day upon day we hoped our child would make us proud..we worried when he was abroad on holiday..we fretted when he was out with the lads..asked him not to be late when he took his car out..Well he certainly made us proud but all the worry was for nothing in the end..our only child couldn't talk to us that he was depressed..please please hug your children at every opportunity and tell them how much you love them..
Dominic Sayles..missed by many..Forever 21..1991-2013..
yours truly
a devoted dad
Martin...
1991, It was at Sheffield's Northern General hospital on the Tuesday evening that Sharon was told she was to have her baby the very next day..Sharon was rushed in over the weekend with internal bleeding and the upshot was she was having her baby four weeks premature..Normally you would be delighted..we both were really but the Wednesday was the 13th Nov 1991..How ironic that date proved to be in later years as Sharon did say its unlucky for some..
So after a day in laybour around 4pm Sharon gave birth to a beautiful but tiny baby boy..4 lb 2 oz..We named him Dominic James and we were overjoyed then sad when the doctors informed us he would have to stay in hospital because he was so small and until he could feed on his own..so after a couple of nights we left him..pipes through his nose and hands..it was so upsetting for Sharon to leave her new son but i knew it was right and that after a couple of weeks he would be home to start our new life together..
Life at home in Wincobank in those days was so joyful watching Dominic grow and after two years we moved up to Norton where i grew up as a lad and nearer to my parents for babysitting duties..He had doting grandparents all through his early years..They did the usual stuff regarding stay overs ..day trips and walks through the park and into Derbyshire..Dom always called his Grandad Da..even through later years..
So as time passed Dom joined Norton Playschool where he was to meet his great friend Ryan..They in turn attended junior school at Norton Free..They became big mates along with the rest of the guys that are still around now..Dom seemed so happy as a young kid and began coming to football matches with me to watch our beloved Sheffield Wednesday..
He took a great interest in cricket and attended all the Yorkshire trials through the age groups and was a regular in the Norton Oakes senior teams from the age of 12..
But the one thing he did cherish was spending time with his mum..singing..dancing..watching tv together..they were so alike..
As a teenager Dom was a quiet kid..rather shy but with a wry sense of humour..a bit like his mum..His senior school days at Meadowhead seemed fun..Football and Cricket were becoming a feature in his life now and he started friendships that were to last a lifetime..
On leaving Meadowhead School he enrolled at Norton College on a sports studies scholarship and this paved the way for Dom to become a young man..He never changed and our little lad seemed destined for big and better things..His dry sense of humour would have his college mates in stitches..He was never naughty as a kid and didn't have an aggressive bone in his body..He was a good team player..always thinking of his mates..Holiday abroad to Zante and Magaluf were according to his mates..legendary..but he always came home to his mum..He worked behind the bar at Norton Oakes cricket club after leaving college and then started working with me on the building sites..he earned good money for his age and he was starting to become more outgoing and tales of his nights out began to mirror his mums..His 18th birthday at the dog track was where i first noticed Dom had now grown up..We looked on as proud parents that night..
Then his 21st birthday party at Portifino's..a family affair which Dom seemed to enjoy..
Through the early part of 2013 Dom seemed more quiet than usual and spent more time in his bedroom..but that's what all young kids do..
Then it was the start of the cricket season and I went with Dom to a mates shop where he spent £200 quid on new kit and he seemed really keen on the new season..He was to only play three games that year..
On the night of may 10th 2013 I received a knock at the door around 10.45pm..It was the railway police..they informed me that Dominic had been involved in an horrific incident at the end of the tunnel entering Sheffield Railway Station..my heart stopped and i couldn't really take it all in..Dom had last spoken to me at 9pm when he popped his head round the living room door to say he was nipping out for a bit..that's all..nothing more..did i question why..should I have..my god have those thoughts gone through my mind these last 12 months..but he was 21 years old..had his own car..
The police wouldn't say too much other than a train had been involved..my mind had gone..I just about pulled myself together to ring Sharon who was out with the girls as usual for a friday..
We met up at the Northern General where his life had began 21 years ago..we were still in shock as the doctors began to reveal the extent of Dom's injuries..too horrific to mention in public..they said he wasn't expected to survive these injuries..I nearly collapsed..Sharon simply went numb..At this point we didn't know why this had all happened but speculation led to a suicide attempt..
We saw Dom for the first time an hour later..he lay motionless on a bed in the critical care unit..we sat with him all night..tests were carried out right through the night into the morning..he never regained consciousness..at 1.10pm Saturday afternoon our beautiful 21 year old son was pronounced clinically dead..We were still in a state of shock..couldn't take it all in..we still didn't have any answers..but during the night we had discussed donating any of Dom's organs for transplant that were still functioning..We then had a meeting with the organ people and Dom was kept breathing until he was taken down later that night for surgery to remove his vital organs..6 people later survived organ transplant and are now flourishing in life..Dom lives on..
Our hearts ache and long for our son..we cry ourselves to sleep everynight..our lives will never be the same..our only child taken without any warning..was he depressed..I guess so but we never saw the warnings..what he did was so brave..he was so intent on dying he never thought of what it would do to his mum..according to the train driver he calmly walked across the track and simply stood before the train..never flinched..how final was that..no cry for help..Dom we miss you so much..god bless buddy..xx
I write this as I embark on another fundraising scheme to help the two charities which are dear to our hearts..the neo natal unit and the critical care unit at the Sheffield Childrens Hospital..£4000.00 has already been raised with a celebrity cricket match for the Sheffield Hospital Charities..another one is planned again in september..but the 'Dive For Dom' will be for the units up at the childrens this time..so me and three very good cricketers who happen to be very good friends of mine..Andy Tomlinson..Danny Kemp and Gareth Davies will jump out of a plane from a great height..wow..scary..not really but please support our event as we try to raise as much as we can for these tremendous units..
Before i go i leave you with this thought..day upon day we hoped our child would make us proud..we worried when he was abroad on holiday..we fretted when he was out with the lads..asked him not to be late when he took his car out..Well he certainly made us proud but all the worry was for nothing in the end..our only child couldn't talk to us that he was depressed..please please hug your children at every opportunity and tell them how much you love them..
Dominic Sayles..missed by many..Forever 21..1991-2013..
yours truly
a devoted dad
Martin...