HUNDREDS of people packed out Christ Church cathedral yesterday in memory of a “wonderful” 14-year-old who died after falling ill on holiday.

Felix Byam Shaw, who went to the Dragon School in North Oxford, contracted meningitis while in France with family friends in July.

At the service in St Aldate’s his friends wore Liverpool – Felix’s favourite team – football shirts with ‘Byam Shaw 14’ on the back and led a balloon procession from the cathedral to the Ardwell Road school.

A choral rendition of Liverpool’s anthem You’ll Never Walk Alone ended the service, which featured readings from relatives and teachers.

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His friends paid tribute to the schoolboy, who lived with his family in North Oxford. One of them said: “He was just so special to us. He was the one everyone liked and that everyone wanted to be friends with.”

Another said: “I miss everything about him, his good looks, his friendship, he was special, I miss him every day.”

In an emotional tribute on behalf of the Dragon School, deputy headteacher Mark White described an “exceptional boy who was supremely talented and friends with everyone”.

Felix was a member of various sports teams, including Summertown Stars and the Oxfordshire Cricket team, and featured at school first team level for rugby, football and cricket.

His former school rugby coach, Hugo McNeile said: “I think heaven needed a fly-half. There wasn’t a single ball Felix couldn’t catch, kick or volley, usually across the classroom.”

Oxford Mail:

  • Felix Byam Shaw

In August, Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers offered a personal tribute to the life-long Reds fan.

On a football shirt sent to the family the Northern Irishman wrote: “To Felix, You Never Walked Alone, Your Friend, Brendan”

Danny Gill, Felix’s former English teacher, said: “The thing I remember most of all was he wrote this amazing piece in my class about what it was like to step out at Anfield as a footballer. He had worked so hard on it and it was so well written and everyone in the room who had ever experienced a football game at any level could resonate with it. He was a wonderful boy.”

Gareth Jones, who coached Felix a variety of sports at Dragon school, said Felix “always seemed to have a ball in his hand which highlighted his great love of sport, the thing I shall remember most about him.”

 

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