Sporting tribute to tragic Connor overwhelms family
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THE family of a Dunnet teenager tragically killed in a car accident were overwhelmed with the response they received at a special event held in his memory.
The Connor Craigie Memorial Football Tournament staged in Thurso on Saturday has so far raised £3500 for the cystic fibrosis unit at Raigmore Hospital, Inverness, and the Thurso branch of the RNLI.
But, with even more money still to come, it is thought the final total could surpass the £4000 mark.
The success of the event, which is now in its second year, exceeded all expectations as the sun-drenched Dammies welcomed hundreds of visitors to watch a day of football as well as enjoy other attractions that were on display.
Before the final match, members of Connor’s family took part in a special ceremony to mark what would have been his 19th birthday by releasing 19 balloons into the air.
For his brother, Allan (24), it was a special moment and brought home what the day was all about.
“It was a very busy day where we were just run off our feet and we rarely had a chance to catch our breath,” he said.
“But when we released the balloons, everything seemed to just come to a stop for a moment and it just brings you down to earth. We couldn’t believe the amount of people who came along on the day as well as the support we received from local businesses and my family were overwhelmed by their generosity.
“There was a lot more people than we expected and, together with it being the hottest day of the year, everything was perfect.”
Over 70 players took part in the football tournament as eight teams battled it out in a seven-a-side competition with a difference when the teams were decided by pulling names out of a hat.
After a day of fun-filled action, it was ’E boys who were crowned the champions after beating The Beasts in the final and they were presented with their trophy by Allan’s daughter, Eva.
There was also a special trophy presented to Rachel Bell who was the only girl who played on the day and also happened to be on the winning team.
There was plenty of side attractions for visitors to enjoy including water zorbing and bronco bull riding as well face painting and various stall games.
Connor died in January last year when he was involved in a car crash on the outskirts of Castletown. He suffered from cystic fibrosis and regularly attended Raigmore for treatment.
