TRAGIC 15-year-old goalie Rhiannon Brown will live on for years in others, after her decision to donate her organs gave three critical patients a new chance at life.

On Wednesday, January 21, the Swindon Ladies under-16s keeper fell ill while at Dorcan Academy and was taken to hospital.

Despite the best efforts of doctors and paramedics, nothing could be done and she died shortly afterwards.

One of the last acts for her parents was to authorise Rhiannon’s donor card for urgent operations.

While her heart was too weak to be used, various organs have now been accepted by three new hosts after successful operations.

Dad Jason said the family had been overwhelmed by the response from the public, and they were proud that Rhiannon could continue to inspire.

“We just want to thank everyone for their amazing support,” he said.

“It has been brilliant to know that Rhiannon had touched so many people, and many of them didn’t even know her.

“The whole thing has been completely overwhelming.

“She was an organ donor and we have received word from Oxford Brookes to thank us and let us know that all of the operations have gone really well.

“There have been three transplants and none have been rejected which is great news.

“Because she was only 15 we had to give our approval but the fact she was a donor sums her up.

“It’s amazing that she is still being an inspiration to people, and we have had parents come up to us saying that their little girl wants to be an organ donor because they heard what Rhiannon had done.”

Margaret Brown, Rhiannon’s 71-year-old grandmother, said: “It has all been a shock and was so sudden.

“That morning was perfectly ordinary and Rhiannon had gone off to school as usual.

“She started feeling unwell and was fetched back home and two paramedics came out to see her. Before we knew it she was off to hospital in Oxford.

“We all have to be strong for each other now.

“When Jason rang me from the hospital and said there was nothing they could do for her I went straight there.

“We all talked to her even though we knew she couldn’t hear us.

“It was a way of trying to make sense of things. We were looking at a perfectly healthy young girl, and she still had her football jacket on her bed while she was wired up to all the machines.”

Rhiannon had been part of the Girls’ Development Programme for three years, within the Football in the Community Trust.

“She lived and breathed football,” added Margaret.

“At one point she was having a bad time in school but she got into training and got into a much better place.

“There was always something going on for her parents to take her to, either training or matches, so there will be a huge void in their lives now.

“As a youngster she was always kicking the ball about, and you would never see her in a dress.

“She was tougher than a lot of girls her age and was a really strong character.

“For someone to be a strong and healthy as her and for that to happen is just heartbreaking. We have some comfort in that Rhiannon has given someone else a new life.

“The whole thing has been so traumatic for us but has given someone else some comfort.”

Would you like to become an organ donor? Log on to www.organdonation.nhs.uk to find out how you can sign up.