Sabine responds after 17-year-old son dies in Windsor: “It is cruel to be robbed of a wonderful future” (Roeselare)

The annual Field Game, a ball game organized by the prestigious Eton College in Windsor, British, ended in drama last Saturday. A 17-year-old player, son of a British father and a Flemish mother, suddenly became unwell on the field. He was resuscitated, but eventually died.

“It is cruel to be robbed of a wonderful future”

Sabine Vandenbroucke

Raphael’s mother

A few days earlier, Raphaël Pryor’s team had won another match. The photo that his parents distributed after the tragedy was taken there. The ball game is a mix of rugby and football and the rules date back to 1847. Raphaël was one of the better players of his team. And he was also the captain.

For Sabine Vandenbroucke and Michael Pryor it is unreal that they now have to say goodbye to their only child. A healthy, sporty young man whose life had yet to begin ended so abruptly.

Well played, Raphy

Bystanders suddenly rushed onto the field on Saturday afternoon after seeing one of the home team’s players suddenly collapse. They immediately saw that it was serious. They desperately tried to resuscitate 17-year-old Raphaël. The emergency services were also notified and quickly arrived on the scene. But the boy had lost consciousness in front of his friends and his father. An autopsy must now determine what exactly caused his death, but everything points to a problem with the heart.

(Read more below the photo)

The father, who attended college as a teenager and had played a match with a team of ex-students earlier in the day, had shouted to his son shortly before the tragedy: “Well played, Raphy,” witnesses say.

“We now take comfort in the fact that when he collapsed he was doing what he loved. He also knew he was loved. He was surrounded by friends and did not suffer. It all happened very quickly,” says Vandenbroucke. She comes from Roeselare. “Raphaël was a fascinating bilingual fusion of his Belgian and English heritage,” says his mother, who is full of praise for her son. Michael, her husband, is British.

“Raphaël was enthusiastic, empathetic, quick-witted, funny and friendly. He surprised us last fall by excelling in his leading role in a play and was also an excellent fisherman and skier.” He was very interested in history and hoped to study French and history at university, his mother says. Something he certainly had the capabilities for.

“It is cruel to be robbed of a wonderful future like this. But we are also grateful. Raphaël made us better people and we will miss him so much,” says the mother.

Just like for queen

The blow is also particularly hard for his grandparents who live in Roeselare. “Our son got his driver’s license at the end of January and was so proud that he could drive his grandmother and grandfather around Belgium,” says mother Sabine.

(Read more below photo)

Meanwhile, Simon Henderson, principal of Eton College, has also responded. He calls Raphaël a top student. “The entire Eton community is deeply saddened and shocked by this news. As we mourn his tragic death, our thoughts go out to Raphael’s parents, his family and his friends.”

The flag at Eton College was flown at half-mast on Sunday out of respect for Raphael and his family. The last time this happened was when Queen Elisabeth died two years ago. It has not yet been determined when the British-Flemish student will be buried.