The family of a Dundee father-of-two who died after collapsing while playing football are being comforted by the thought that the tragedy is helping to improve the lives of 12 people.
Popular city centre postman and football coach Brian Adamson (47) collapsed during a five-a-side game at Kirkton Community Centre this week.
He had devoted much of his spare time to the sport. His son Simon told The Courier: ”If he was going to go, it was the way he would have wanted.”
Mr Adamson lived in Downfield and is also survived by wife Gwen (46) and daughter Beth (21). He had discussed donating tissue if the worst ever happened, and his family were keen to abide by his wishes.
”We have had a call to say that his tissue will be going to 12 people, some of them children,” said Simon (22). ”We haven’t been given any more details but it makes us even more proud of him.”
The family have been inundated with calls, cards, flowers and tributes for the man Simon described as ”everybody’s pal”.
He said: ”I don’t think I ever even called him ‘Dad’. It was always ‘mate,’ because he wasn’t just my dad but my mate, too.”
He added: ”He was popular, he was funny, he was devoted to his family. He was always smiling and never had a bad word to say about anybody.”
Mr Adamson joined Royal Mail in 1985 but was also a well-known figure in the local football world.
He played for Dundee Hibs, Tayside Harp and St Peter and Paul and was a member of a British Cup-winning Royal Mail side.
He went on to play for Drumvale and Ferry Mechanics, where just last year he was named as player of the year. He also coached teams at Vale of Tay, Dundee West Girls, whom he led to win the Scottish Cup, and Forfar Farmington Girls.
Most recently he managed his son’s team, West End Athletic.
Simon said: ”He played five-a-side football three times a week and made so many friends.
”It’s just come as a total shock to us because he was really active. As well as the football, he went cycling and he had no health problems or anything like that.”
Simon said his father’s death was particularly hard for the family, coming just days before Christmas.
A Forfar Farmington FC spokesman said: ”The club wishes to pass its deepest sympathies to Brian’s wife Gwen, son Simon and daughter Beth at this most difficult of times.”