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Boy, 14, Collapses And Dies In Class 30 Minutes After Telling His Gran “I Love You”
“He was very full of life. He was proud to be a geek.”
There has been an outpouring of grief for Ted Sanderson, who suddenly collapsed and died in class after telling his grandmother, Lynn Wilson, “I Love You.” The 14-Year-Old had reportedly been passionate about music, loved fishing and shooting, and wanted to one day become a teacher.
The cause of death is not yet known. Ted, pictured with aunt Mel had been rushed to James Cook University Hospital, but medics could not save his life.
Sadly, the schoolboy passed away at Woodham Academy in County Durham on Tuesday. His family, friends, and broader school community were shocked by the sudden death. According to the Mirror, heartbroken Lynn has since described Ted as a perfect teenager and that he was a gorgeous boy who knew a lot of things.
“He was so much fun and he had so much character. He was perfect. He loved everything about life. I can’t think how we are going to live without him. We are going to have to get through this together.”
Describing the last time she saw Ted, Lynn added: “He went down to the drive. Before he went out, I said, ‘I love you, have a good day, and he said, ‘I love you, nan.’ He was scrunching up his hair the way he always did to make it as big as he could. Half an hour later, we got a call from the school to say he had collapsed. We didn’t know what had happened, but then there was no coming back.”
At his school in the town of Newton Aycliffe, Ted – who lived with his grandparents Lynn and Keith and dad Eddie but pictured here with his biological mum Angie was interested in history and RE.
Lynn continued: “He just loved life. He did so much. He loved his country sports and his airsoft and nerf ward. He was very full of life. He was proud to be a geek.” A remembrance service has been held at Woodham Academy, and in a letter to other pupils at the school, headteacher Andrew Bell shared that Ted was simply a wonderful young man, an outgoing, friendly, thought-provoking, articulate, and to some degree, quirky.
Bell added: “Staff have taken great pride in describing their relationship with Ted, highlighting his enthusiasm for life, his willingness to give opinions, but also listen to the opinions of others.”
“Ted took an active role in school life, with interests including music, art, English and Religious Studies. Ted shared a love of rock music with Dr. Lycourinos and they had many exchanges regarding their passion for the genre. Similarly, Miss Thomas was so proud of how Ted could inspire an entire class to listen to his extensive knowledge of niche topics such as the C.I.A., the troubles in Northern Ireland and gun law. He truly was a remarkable young man.”
However, support is now provided for pupils affected by the death, and a space has been dedicated at the school for floral tributes. In Ted’s memory, thousands of pounds have been raised via a GoFundMe. It’s alleged there are plans to install a bench at the school, with the additional money raised sent to the children’s unit at James Cook University Hospital.
