Liam Geddes support fund
Donation protected
Update below. Please direct all funds to this page so the family can use for legacy initiatives in Liam's name.
UPDATE from Liam's family
It is with the heaviest of hearts that we tell you Liam is now at a point that he will not survive off life support. He has fought a fierce and courageous fight since this tragic injury, but he is now in the final stage. Please know that he has received the absolute BEST of medical care here in the ICU in Kingston. We have been overwhelmed with the caring and compassion of everyone on staff, from the neurosurgeons and ICU specialists and ICU nurses, right down to the kitchen staff, cleaners and volunteers. The medical staff are top notch. We have been listening to, and reading all of your messages of love and support to Liam and they have helped us to remain steadfast during the exceptionally difficult time. We as a family are in absolute anguish. We know that Liam is an exceptional human being, and we have known that for 22 years. We have done our best as parents to guide him from the precocious and loving child that he was, to the immensely kind-hearted, strong-willed, and fiercely loyal young man that he is. We also know that his growth has been nurtured by all the many amazing family, friends, and community that he has in his life. We will never forget how elated he was when he made the varsity team at Queens University, and how proud he has always been to be a part of both the Queens Mens Rugby and Queens University community. As per Liam’s wishes, he is an organ donor and is therefore being kept on life support, and the hospital staff are now working around the clock to find matching organ donor recipients. This is not just a simple process of keeping machines going, as we have learned. ICU staff are vigilant with keeping up on his vitals and bodily functions at all times. He had a drop in his O2 overnight and the nurse was right in it, as I just kept whispering to him “Just keep swimming……just keep swimming”. (for those of you who don’t know him closely, he is an avid and strong swimmer and has repeated that line to himself since he was a young boy, whenever he feels tired or defeated). There is ALWAYS a family member at his side and he is surrounded by love at this time. We will not leave the hospital until he is off life support as we cannot leave our boy. All of the staff here in the ICU have been touched by his beautiful soul. At this time, we do not know what organ matches they have found, but he will be donating all major internal organs if they find matching recipients. While he is being kept on life support his room has been covered with pictures of his family, friends, and the rugby and university community at Queens (pics attached) and he has his Queens Rugby uniform laying over him, until such time as they take him off life support. This is a tragic loss that we will never forget. So …..If you have to cry, then cry, if you have to sob, then sob…. scream, then scream. If you have to punch something then punch something (just not someone ). A lesson to learn from this is to always take care of each other and hold one and other in your hearts…..When Liam was a very young boy, we started this nighttime ritual when he said “I love you” and I said “I love you more”, to which he quickly replied “I love you most!” This became our routine right up to the present. Liam is holding and hugging all of us right now with those big arms and that enormous heart. For all of you who are feeling crushed with enormous grief and are telling him that you love him, I KNOW that he WILL have the last word. as he is holding you and saying “I LOVE YOU MOST”!!!
The family wrote the following on the whiteboard in his room during this last 5 days so that medical staff could know who they were dealing with: “My name is Liam. I am a big strong rugby player for Queens (as well as Rugby Ontario and Lindsay Rugby Football Club). I want to be a doctor and I scored 98th percentile on the CARS section of the MCAT. My story is not over. I am stubborn…….I can handle this”.
We are comforted to know that he has not been in any pain or discomfort throughout.
We are now praying that he will be an organ donation match, as then Liam’s story will never truly be over.
Much Love to All ❤️
UPDATE from Liam's family
It is with the heaviest of hearts that we tell you Liam is now at a point that he will not survive off life support. He has fought a fierce and courageous fight since this tragic injury, but he is now in the final stage. Please know that he has received the absolute BEST of medical care here in the ICU in Kingston. We have been overwhelmed with the caring and compassion of everyone on staff, from the neurosurgeons and ICU specialists and ICU nurses, right down to the kitchen staff, cleaners and volunteers. The medical staff are top notch. We have been listening to, and reading all of your messages of love and support to Liam and they have helped us to remain steadfast during the exceptionally difficult time. We as a family are in absolute anguish. We know that Liam is an exceptional human being, and we have known that for 22 years. We have done our best as parents to guide him from the precocious and loving child that he was, to the immensely kind-hearted, strong-willed, and fiercely loyal young man that he is. We also know that his growth has been nurtured by all the many amazing family, friends, and community that he has in his life. We will never forget how elated he was when he made the varsity team at Queens University, and how proud he has always been to be a part of both the Queens Mens Rugby and Queens University community. As per Liam’s wishes, he is an organ donor and is therefore being kept on life support, and the hospital staff are now working around the clock to find matching organ donor recipients. This is not just a simple process of keeping machines going, as we have learned. ICU staff are vigilant with keeping up on his vitals and bodily functions at all times. He had a drop in his O2 overnight and the nurse was right in it, as I just kept whispering to him “Just keep swimming……just keep swimming”. (for those of you who don’t know him closely, he is an avid and strong swimmer and has repeated that line to himself since he was a young boy, whenever he feels tired or defeated). There is ALWAYS a family member at his side and he is surrounded by love at this time. We will not leave the hospital until he is off life support as we cannot leave our boy. All of the staff here in the ICU have been touched by his beautiful soul. At this time, we do not know what organ matches they have found, but he will be donating all major internal organs if they find matching recipients. While he is being kept on life support his room has been covered with pictures of his family, friends, and the rugby and university community at Queens (pics attached) and he has his Queens Rugby uniform laying over him, until such time as they take him off life support. This is a tragic loss that we will never forget. So …..If you have to cry, then cry, if you have to sob, then sob…. scream, then scream. If you have to punch something then punch something (just not someone ). A lesson to learn from this is to always take care of each other and hold one and other in your hearts…..When Liam was a very young boy, we started this nighttime ritual when he said “I love you” and I said “I love you more”, to which he quickly replied “I love you most!” This became our routine right up to the present. Liam is holding and hugging all of us right now with those big arms and that enormous heart. For all of you who are feeling crushed with enormous grief and are telling him that you love him, I KNOW that he WILL have the last word. as he is holding you and saying “I LOVE YOU MOST”!!!
The family wrote the following on the whiteboard in his room during this last 5 days so that medical staff could know who they were dealing with: “My name is Liam. I am a big strong rugby player for Queens (as well as Rugby Ontario and Lindsay Rugby Football Club). I want to be a doctor and I scored 98th percentile on the CARS section of the MCAT. My story is not over. I am stubborn…….I can handle this”.
We are comforted to know that he has not been in any pain or discomfort throughout.
We are now praying that he will be an organ donation match, as then Liam’s story will never truly be over.
Much Love to All ❤️
Organizer and beneficiary
David Butcher
Organizer
Kingston, ON
Colin Geddes
Beneficiary
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