A Liverpool fan whose dad died at Anfield during a Champions League match is heading to Paris to keep a promise he made.
Terence 'Terry' Judge, from Childwall, died after collapsing on Wednesday, April 13 when LFC played Benfica. The 63-year-old, his son Oliver, 19, and brother had just got to their seats in the stadium when he said he wasn't feeling well.
When he collapsed dozens of Liverpool FC supporters, paramedics and stewards rushed to help him. He was taken to the Royal Liverpool Hospital, where he died a short time later.
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Terry's wife Louise, 50, said her husband's death came as a "huge shock" and the family is devastated. She said they were comforted by the hundreds of LFC fans who have paid tribute since her husband's death.
She told The ECHO : "A friend was behind him at the match and called me to tell me that Terry was not alone while he wasn't well, people were trying to help him. He also said he didn't seem to be suffering and we're taking comfort from that.
"There were doctors, paramedics, and people all there trying to help him. We're taking comfort that he was in the best possible place he would have wanted to be."
Once Liverpool won their semi final matches against Villarreal, Oliver told his mum they had to book flights to Paris and go for his dad. Terry and Oliver went to Atletico Madrid in March 2020 and the 19-year-old said he had the 'best day of his life'.
That same day his dad promised him they would go to a Champions League Final together. Members of the Judge family all entered the ballot to try and get tickets for Oliver and his mum to go to the final.
Nobody in the family was successful with a ballot, and the family turned to Liverpool FC to see if they could attend. The club were not able to help the family with tickets, leaving Louise and Oliver "devastated".
Louise said: "We booked our flights for £650 after the semi-finals, because we just knew we had to go to Paris. This is one of Liverpool's most successful seasons and it's really special because we haven't really been able to celebrate because of Covid.
"It's really important to us because Terry wouldn't want us to miss it, and we just want to do big cheers for him and give him the best send off."
Terry worked as a computer operator for Camelot's National Lottery since they first won the contract in 1994. When he was younger he was in the LFC reserves and has held a season ticket for "his reds" for around 50 years.
Louise described her husband as a "very gentle person" who "would do absolutely anything for you". She said: "Football and family was his life and he was such a kind, warm and gentle man.
"He was a feeder, loved cooking and was a real chocoholic. He also adored his springer spaniel, Charley, who we got in January last year. He was besotted.
"He would do anything for you and was the most amazing dad to Oliver."
