A young man died in a freak accident when he slipped over while walking his girlfriend to a bus stop – and bumped his head.
Jack Berger was knocked unconscious when he slipped and hit his head on the pavement on the afternoon of November 5.
He was airlifted to hospital but never woke up and died two days later.
A team of neurosurgeons fought to help Jack – but he had suffered such a traumatic brain injury they were unable to save him.
Jack had been working as a sales advisor for the mobile phone store, EE, in Crawley, West Sussex.
Wendy Kane, Jack’s mum, said he loved his job.
She said: “You know when a child doesn’t quite know what they want to do, and you wonder if they’ll find it?
“I have never seen him so enamoured with anything.
“Gadgets were a big part of his life, and he was just about to get promoted.
“He was so, so excited.”
Wendy, a nurse, added: “He also loved comedy and making people laugh with his funny voices.
“Everyone we’ve talked to remembered his comical voices but his friends also mentioned the caring side of his nature.”
Jack is also survived by his dad David Berger, 55, his sister Charlie Gayton, 25, and his girlfriend Charlotte Kybert, 18.
On November 12 Jack’s friends celebrated his birthday – when he would have turned 22.
Jack registered as an organ donor two years ago so his death has saved the lives of others in critical conditions.
His kidneys, lungs, liver, heart, corneas and skin were all donated – and doctors from across the country came to St George’s Hospital in Tooting to collect the organs.
Wendy, who lives in Shoreham, West Sussex, said: “Even though Jack’s life was unable to be saved, knowing he has donated his organs is the biggest comfort to come from such a terrible tragedy.
“Within two-and-a-half hours of his passing his lungs had been successfully transplanted and saved the life of another so we know he didn’t die in vain.”
She added: “As a parent who has lost her child that’s probably the only thing that gives me comfort.”
Wendy is now raising money for the Kent, Surrey and Sussex Air Ambulance – because without them, Jack’s organs would not have been donated.
She is also calling for young people to sign the organ donor register.
Wendy said: “It’s so simple for people to sign up.
“The big message we want to get out is it doesn’t matter how young you are – you should be having a conversation about organ donation.
“It needs to be talked about more for all age groups but I really want teenagers to be more aware of it as organ donation is so important.”
She added: “You never know what going to happen tomorrow – and all these lives could be saved if everyone signed up.
“It used to be a taboo subject but know there’s so many people out there whose lives will end if they do not have a donor.”
