A Fife dad who died following a high-speed motorcycle crash at the weekend is bringing life to others through the donation of his organs.
Tribute was paid after it emerged that Matt Polanski, 30, of Cardenden, succumbed to injuries sustained during a Knockhill Motor Sports Club Pre-Injection 600 race on Sunday.
Emergency services made a bid to help Mr Polanski following the smash at around 3.30pm. He was taken to Ninewells Hospital in Dundee, where he was treated at A&E and in the intensive-care unit.
However, he died away on Monday after succumbing to his injuries.
Speaking to The Courier at the family home in Cardenden, Mr Polanski’s wife Jill and his father Richard, themselves keen motorcyclists, spoke of him as a “larger than life kind of guy” who had been into motorbikes since he was three.
Jill who would have celebrated her fifth wedding anniversary with Matt this week said: “The accident was no one’s fault. It was one of those things. He was coming out of a bend.
“He was so generous, kind and loving. It was his wish and his family’s wish that he should donate his organs when he died.
“We will find out in a couple of weeks if the transplants to the recipients have been successful. Even in death he was helping others,” Jill said.
The family thanked all staff, marshalls and medics at Knockhill for the “fantastic care” and also praised the staff at Ninewells for all their care and support.
Knockhill Racing Circuit CEO Derek Butcher said:“It’s a very sad day for everyone connected with Knockhill and the wider Scottish racing community. Matt and the whole Polanski family were very popular in the race paddock.
“We offer our sincere condolences to Matt’s wife Jill, daughter Bethany and the entire Polanski family at this very difficult time. Everyone involved is taking some comfort from the knowledge that Matt will be helping others after Jill and Beth bravely arranged organ donation with the transplant team at Ninewells Hospital.”
Knockhill Motor Sport Club president and three times British Superbike champion Niall Mackenzie said: “Words cannot describe how sad everyone is at the club after we lost Matt at the weekend.
“He’ll always be remembered as a great racer. My thoughts are with Matt’s friends and family as this sad time.”
Mr Polanski was a keen motorcyclist who formed the MBP racing team with his daughter Bethany, 13. She had been due to race shortly after him on Sunday.
In his day job he was a self-employed erecter of polytunnels in agriculture. Heartfelt online tributes flooded in for Mr Polanski following the tragic accident.
A post on his race team Facebook page said he was the “most amazing, wonderful son, brother, daddy, husband and best friend that anyone could wish for.”
Mr Polanski is survived by his wife Jill, daughter Bethany, mother and father Teresa and Richard, six brothers and three grandparents.