Superhero Patryk’s sister Krissy is England mascot
Patryk Milner was just seven years old when he lost consciousness at his primary school on 2nd Oct 2020.
He was taken by air ambulance to Alder Hey Hospital where, despite the best possible efforts of doctors and nursing staff, he could not be revived.
His parents Andy and Aggie immediately consented to organ donation and as a result three children received successful life saving organ transplants.
Andy and Aggie Milner run the catering operation for Sandbach Rugby Union Football Club where Patryk played and, since Patryk’s death, club members and the Sandbach community have been a source of enormous support to them and Patryk's younger sister Krissy.
Krissy was a mascot and walked out with the England team when they played France at Twickenham.
It was a special day for Krissy and her parents to celebrate Patryk’s life and love of rugby. A memorial fund set up in his name has funded summer sports camps at Sandbach Rugby Club.
Now the Go Fund Me page has raised almost £60,000 towards an all-weather junior training area at the club which will be available to the whole community.
Rugby club a second home
Patryk was very much part of his rugby club, ever since he could walk he had a rugby ball in his hands and he went to Rugby Tots before he joined the U6 team. His parents hold the catering franchise at the Sandbach club and his grandfather was a lifelong supporter of Worcester, a founder debenture holder of Worcester Warriors, and a great friend of Cecil Duckworth.
Andy and Aggie run their catering business from the club, as well as handling all the club’s catering, so they are there every day, and the Bradwall Road clubhouse became a second home for Patryk and Krissy, with their school only 200 metres away.
Club Trustee, Robert Mayor said: “Patryk always had a smile on his face, he knew everyone's name and everyone knew him. He was a real live wire and his favourite drink was Vimto. He would somehow get you to buy it from him and then proceed to drink it himself! He loved Saturdays and Sundays when he would see all the teams and be carried around by the senior players. When he was smaller, he ran through the legs of people in the clubhouse and, more recently, barged into unsuspecting drinkers. Given the chance, he would ride his scooter around the clubhouse until someone noticed and chased him outside.”
Said his dad Andy: “Patryk will always be our superhero, and his organs have given three children the gift of life. The grief will always be with us, it’s like an ocean, sometimes calm, sometimes stormy.”
Bacon butties to rock 'n pop festival
Patryk and Krissy’s parents are very much involved in most of the club’s fundraising activity. Their biggest event of the year is a Rock’n’Pop Festival which they organise themselves and is growing into an institution. Their catering is legendary around all the visiting clubs and covers everything from a bacon butty to gastronomic evenings.
Sandbach 1st XV plays in Regional 1 North West and is among the highest placed strictly amateur clubs in country. It is a big part of the local community and runs four senior teams. The age grade section provides rugby opportunities for more than 350 young players in age groups from under 6 to under 18.
Patryk’s parents and their company Symphony Catering sponsor club stalwart and Sandbach 1st XV player, Mark Bird, who Patryk always wanted to emulate. He was also a keen supporter of Sale Sharks and Worcester Warriors and once played tag rugby at Six Ways Stadium wearing his Batman mask! Sale scrum half Will Cliff started out at Sandbach before joining the Sharks Academy and seeing Will at the club regularly, Patryk had formed a great bond with him.
Said club President, Pad Davenport: “Aggie, Andy and Krissy received hundreds of messages of support, there were floral tributes outside the club, and the words written in the Book of Condolence were overwhelming.”
Director of Rugby, Andrew Bird, added: “They were so grateful to the many people teachers, first-responders, air ambulance staff, doctors, and nurses who did all that was humanly possible to help, and to Alder Hey Hospital for their care and support. As a club, we will do everything that we can to support them, both now and in the future. It was very special seeing Krissy run out with the England team at Twickenham.”
