Latest news with #ThaiBoxing
The Sun
08-07-2025
- Health
- The Sun
Brit dad, 30, tragically dies on ‘lifelong' dream Thai boxing trip just days before birth of his second child
A BRITISH dad has tragically died alone in Thailand while chasing his dream of becoming a Thai boxer. Ryan O'Connor, 30, passed away just days before his wife gave birth to their second child back home in the UK. 3 3 3 The beloved husband, dad, and well-known member of the Rossendale community died on June 28 after falling seriously ill at a Thai boxing academy. The dad-of-two had flown out to Thailand on May 29, determined to tick off a lifelong goal before becoming a dad for the second time. Ryan's brother Liam said: 'He just wanted to do it before he had two children. 'He thought he couldn't go out there before having two children. 'It was his last chance to go and do something that he's always wanted to do.' But the dream turned to tragedy just weeks later when Ryan became suddenly unwell, bedridden with severe diarrhoea and what his family suspects was a serious infection. He managed a video call to his parents on June 26, describing his symptoms - prompting his dad to contact Ryan's hotel to ask for urgent medical help. By the time emergency workers arrived, Ryan had collapsed on the bathroom floor and gone into cardiac arrest. Medics managed to restart his heart after 15 harrowing minutes and placed him on life support. But his condition worsened rapidly. He slipped into septic shock, his kidneys began to fail, and he passed away the next morning - just days before what would have been his 31st birthday. Brit, 22, rushed to hospital after 'falling off boat in Magaluf & getting caught in propeller after drinking with pals' Back home in the UK, Ryan's wife Joanne, a local maths teacher, welcomed their baby girl Maya Jasmine O'Connor Sunday morning —surrounded by loved ones but shattered by the loss of her husband. She is now facing a future raising early-three-year-old Riley and newborn Maya alone. In a heartfelt plea on the GoFundMe page set to support the grieving family, Liam wrote: '(Joanne) now faces the unimaginable pain of preparing to bring new life into the world whilst coping with the uncertainty of their future and the devastating knowledge that their new daughter will never meet her father. 'Riley, the first child who is nearly three, will not see her father again.' 'We are raising this money to help Joanne and her family manage the unknown costs ahead, including support for her two young children, keeping their roof over their head's, medical expenses, possible repatriation for Ryan and other costs associated with raising two young children alone, one of whom is due to arrive any day now.' He added: 'If you knew Ryan, you would know he was a great dad and husband. It was his last chance to go and do something that he's always wanted to do Liam O'ConnorRyan's brother 'His strength, humour, and warmth have touched so many people. 'Now it's our turn to rally around him and his family during their darkest hour.' The GoFundMe campaign has already raised more than £42,000 towards its £50,000 goal, with almost 1,000 donations pouring in. In an update, Liam wrote: 'Our hearts are overflowing with gratitude. 'In less than one week, we hit our £40k goal!
Daily Mail
07-07-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE British father, 30, dies while pursuing dream of Thai boxing just days before his wife gave birth to their second child
A family have been left shattered after a devoted father tragically died alone in Thailand just days before his wife gave birth to their third child back home in the UK. Ryan O'Connor, 30, a cherished husband, father, and much-loved figure in the Rossendale community, passed away on June 28 after falling seriously ill while pursuing his lifelong dream of training at a Thai boxing academy. His grieving wife Joanne O'Connor, a local math teacher, gave birth to their baby girl Maya Jasmine O'Connor yesterday morning, surrounded by family but haunted by the absence of her husband. Ryan had flown to Thailand on May 29, embracing what his brother, Liam, told MailOnline was his 'last chance' to fulfil a lifelong goal before his second baby was born. 'He just wanted to do it before he had two children,' Liam, who has set up a GoFundMe, said. 'He thought he couldn't go out there before having two children. It was his last chance to go and do something that he's always wanted to do.' However, tragedy struck just weeks later when he became suddenly unwell, bedridden with severe diarrhoea and what the family suspect was a serious infection. In a heart-wrenching turn of events, Ryan managed a video call to his parents on June 26, during which he described his symptoms. Concerned, his father contacted his hotel to request urgent medical help. But by the time the emergency service personnel had arrived to his room, Ryan had collapsed on his bathroom floor and gone into cardiac arrest. In a moment of hope, medics managed to restart his heart after working on him for 15 agonising minutes, and he was placed on life support. Tragically, his condition deteriorated rapidly. He went into septic shock the following day, with his kidneys failing, and passed away the next morning. Ryan, who Liam described as 'loud', 'funny' and 'my best friend', died just days before his 31st birthday. Joanne, now left to raise two children, including nearly-three-year-old Riley and newborn Maya, is facing a future filled with uncertainty and grief. The GoFundMe fundraiser was launched by Liam to support Joanne and her children in the wake of Ryan's sudden death. The campaign aims to help cover mounting costs, including essential living expenses, the possible repatriation of Ryan's remains, medical bills, and longer-term support for the young family. In a heartfelt appeal on the donation site, Liam wrote: (Joanne) now faces the unimaginable pain of preparing to bring new life into the world whilst coping with the uncertainty of their future and the devastating knowledge that their new daughter will never meet her father. Riley, the first child who is nearly three, will not see her father again. 'We are raising this money to help Joanne and her family manage the unknown costs ahead, including support for her two young children, keeping their roof over their head's, medical expenses, possible repatriation for Ryan and other costs associated with raising two young children alone, one of whom is due to arrive any day now. 'If you knew Ryan, you would know he was a great dad and husband. His strength, humour, and warmth have touched so many people. Now it's our turn to rally around him and his family during their darkest hour. 'Please consider donating whatever you can and share this page widely. Every donation, no matter how small, would make a huge difference. 'Thank you from the bottom of our hearts'.
Yahoo
20-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Rachael Mackenzie launches Youth Sport Trust's National School Sports Week
British boxing champion Rachael Mackenzie highlighted the transformational power of sport as she helped to launch the Youth Sport Trust's National School Sports Week on Monday. The Thai boxing world champion was attending a day full of activity at Dame Dorothy Primary School in Sunderland as part of the campaign promoting the importance of daily physical activity by encouraging schools, families, and communities to engage in 60 minutes of PE, sport, and play. Advertisement Mackenzie took part in a Q&A with pupils and got stuck into activities, including hockey sessions led by the pupils, knowing firsthand the power sport has to positively impact lives. 'Sport for me as an individual was transformational. I was a fairly inactive teenager, and I found my sport of Thai boxing at 18 years of age having come through some really significant mental health problems,' she explained. 'It was actually finding sport and learning to thrive in that environment that taught me how to manage my own mental health because sport's a great place for children to learn to fail but also to learn their strengths. 'Personally, it was sport that gave me that robustness and resilience to be able to cope with life really and to cope with everything that life throws at you.' Advertisement Now, Mackenzie is passing on that impact of sport as a Youth Sport Trust Athlete Mentor with the need for the awareness of the positive impact of sport greater than ever. Research shows that less than a third of teachers and parents are currently aware that children and young people should be active for 60 minutes a day. 'It's really important for kids to remain active over the course of the day because it's one of the foundations of normal brain development,' said Mackenzie. 'Active children have happier, healthier, bigger brains, brains that are primed for learning. We see in brain imaging but also in results for young people that those children who are active outperform those inactive young people. Advertisement 'So young people who meet those recommended daily 60 minutes actually perform better academically. We see that those children are more productive and, most importantly for me, those children are happier.' Dame Dorothy Primary School are setting the standard for schools looking to incorporate more movement into their school day with an 'always active uniform' that allows children to move freely throughout the day and a perimeter path for children to go on runs at school. 'It's a real joy to be here at Dame Dorothy for the start of National School Sports Week,' added Mackenzie. 'The opportunities for the children here are absolutely outstanding but what I have loved more than anything is the energy and the enthusiasm of the young people themselves.' National School Sports Week is an annual campaign by the Youth Sport Trust, dedicated to celebrating the power of PE, sport, and play to build brighter futures. This year, powered by Sports Direct x Under Armour, marks the 30th anniversary of the Youth Sport Trust, who is a UK leading children's charity for improving young people's wellbeing through sport and play. Visit
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
'My body shut down - it was a life or death situation'
When Sammy-Jo Luxton thought that getting her car broken into at the start of 2024 was the worst thing that would happen to her that year, it could not have been further from the truth. Among the highs of knocking an opponent out inside 18 seconds and signing a contract with the PFL, she suffered the loss of both her grandmother and father. The 26-year-old then discovered she needed emergency surgery for cysts on her ovaries, which later led to sepsis - a life-threatening reaction to an infection in the body - following complications with the operation. The ordeal caused Luxton to contemplate retirement. But now, having taken some time to heal with her loved ones, she looks back on 2024 as the making of her character and relishes the challenges ahead with renewed vigour. "It's taught me that I can come through anything. It was just me getting hit and I was standing up and then getting hit again and I was standing back up," Luxton tells BBC Sport. "I looked at it like a fight – if someone knocks me down eight times I'm going to get back up nine. "Now I'm going to bring that into a fight. Nothing can touch me mentally or physically now because I've been through that." Ditcheva to fight in South Africa for PFL The Devon-born Luxton took up Thai boxing around the age of 10. After briefly switching to boxing, she later moved to Manchester and into the world of MMA, in which she now trains full-time. After winning the first two fights of her professional career - with her most recent victory in March, 2024 - Luxton signed a contract with the PFL. But her debut fight in June never happened. The chain of events which led to the bout getting cancelled started when her father Adam was rushed to hospital after suffering a heart attack. With Luxton needing an emergency operation at the same time, she ended up in a hospital bed in the ward below him. After surgery, she was able to spend two days with her father before he passed away in April - two months after her grandmother's death. "When my dad passed away I thought I was going to do this PFL tournament then hang up my gloves - I can't go on now," recalls Luxton. "But he would be rolling in his grave if I didn't carry on. He spent hours following me everywhere, he's prepped my meals, helped me cut weight - he would have done all of that for nothing. "I am going to do it now for his legacy." When Luxton returned to training, she found herself feeling more tired than usual but put the fatigue down to being in a "tough fight camp". Inside two weeks, however, Luxton's condition had deteriorated and she found herself bent over in pain at the gym while cold, sweating and shaking uncontrollably. Luxton's partner covered her in blankets before taking her to hospital where, after discovering she had sepsis, her body temperature rose to 42C in a "life or death situation". "My body completely shut down, everything was a blur by that point," she says. "That completely wiped my year out so it was about trying to build my strength up slowly but surely afterwards. "I took that as spending time with my friends and family and getting myself better, mentally and physically." Now fit and healthy, Luxton is preparing to finally make her debut in the PFL's annual European tournament. In an all-British fight, she faces Scottish flyweight Gemma Auld in Belfast on Saturday. "It's been a long time coming but I can't thank PFL enough for hanging on to me and supporting me through the hard times," adds Luxton. "It will be pure excitement from start to finish. My last two fights haven't even hit 30 seconds – so I'm hoping the girls in PFL will give me more of a fight." Luxton, nicknamed the 'Ghetto Cinderella', doesn't have to look far to see what riches can be found in PFL Europe. In 2023, Manchester's Dakota Ditcheva, 26, won the tournament before progressing to the global bracket last year and triumphing to become Britain's first female MMA world champion. "Me and Dakota grew up together and fought on the same shows," says Luxton. "Dakota has set the path. You've seen the money she can make, she's set her family up for life now and that's what I want to do - give back and give my family a good life. "Hopefully I can do a Dakota run." MMA schedule and results 2025 Watch every Born to Brawl episode Notifications, social media and more with BBC Sport
BBC News
10-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
'My body shut down - it was a life or death situation'
When Sammy-Jo Luxton thought that getting her car broken into at the start of 2024 was the worst thing that would happen to her that year, it could not have been further from the the highs of knocking an opponent out inside 18 seconds and signing a contract with the PFL, she suffered the loss of both her grandmother and 26-year-old then discovered she needed emergency surgery for cysts on her ovaries, which later led to sepsis - a life-threatening reaction to an infection in the body, external - following complications with the ordeal caused Luxton to contemplate now, having taken some time to heal with her loved ones, she looks back on 2024 as the making of her character and relishes the challenges ahead with renewed vigour."It's taught me that I can come through anything. It was just me getting hit and I was standing up and then getting hit again and I was standing back up," Luxton tells BBC Sport."I looked at it like a fight – if someone knocks me down eight times I'm going to get back up nine. "Now I'm going to bring that into a fight. Nothing can touch me mentally or physically now because I've been through that." The Devon-born Luxton took up Thai boxing around the age of 10. After briefly switching to boxing, she later moved to Manchester and into the world of MMA, in which she now trains winning the first two fights of her professional career - with her most recent victory in March, 2024 - Luxton signed a contract with the her debut fight in June never chain of events which led to the bout getting cancelled started when her father Adam was rushed to hospital after suffering a heart Luxton needing an emergency operation at the same time, she ended up in a hospital bed in the ward below surgery, she was able to spend two days with her father before he passed away in April - two months after her grandmother's death."When my dad passed away I thought I was going to do this PFL tournament then hang up my gloves - I can't go on now," recalls Luxton."But he would be rolling in his grave if I didn't carry on. He spent hours following me everywhere, he's prepped my meals, helped me cut weight - he would have done all of that for nothing."I am going to do it now for his legacy."When Luxton returned to training, she found herself feeling more tired than usual but put the fatigue down to being in a "tough fight camp".Inside two weeks, however, Luxton's condition had deteriorated and she found herself bent over in pain at the gym while cold, sweating and shaking partner covered her in blankets before taking her to hospital where, after discovering she had sepsis, her body temperature rose to 42C in a "life or death situation"."My body completely shut down, everything was a blur by that point," she says."That completely wiped my year out so it was about trying to build my strength up slowly but surely afterwards."I took that as spending time with my friends and family and getting myself better, mentally and physically." PFL debut & emulating Ditcheva Now fit and healthy, Luxton is preparing to finally make her debut in the PFL's annual European an all-British fight, she faces Scottish flyweight Gemma Auld in Belfast on Saturday."It's been a long time coming but I can't thank PFL enough for hanging on to me and supporting me through the hard times," adds Luxton."It will be pure excitement from start to finish. My last two fights haven't even hit 30 seconds – so I'm hoping the girls in PFL will give me more of a fight."Luxton, nicknamed the 'Ghetto Cinderella', doesn't have to look far to see what riches can be found in PFL 2023, Manchester's Dakota Ditcheva, 26, won the tournament before progressing to the global bracket last year and triumphing to become Britain's first female MMA world champion. "Me and Dakota grew up together and fought on the same shows," says Luxton."Dakota has set the path. You've seen the money she can make, she's set her family up for life now and that's what I want to do - give back and give my family a good life. "Hopefully I can do a Dakota run."
