The parents of a man whose organs were donated after he died in a tragic accident have spoken of their pride as they prepare to honour his memory by taking part in the World Transplant Winter Games.
Katey and Shaun Purkiss-McEndoo of Aske, near Richmond, North Yorkshire, are travelling to Bormio, Italy, on Saturday, where they will be participating in skiing and snow shoeing events.
Their son Charley, 27, a forester, who once played rugby for Darlington Mowden Park RFC and died in a freak work accident, was a keen skiier.
Katey, 59, said: "We lost our eldest son Charley in 2019 after a terrible accident at work. Charley donated his heart, liver and two kidneys - given to four people in total.
"Last year the whole family were overjoyed to meet Charley's heart recipient, which has really brought some positivity back into our lives.
"Charley adored skiing , one of our family's most cherished memories was when we all learned to cross-country ski in 2004 in Norway.
"We are very proud to be confident enough to take part in something like this, based on what happened."
Katey added: "The magnitude of losing a child, albeit he was 27, he’s still a child to us, was terrible.
"I think organ donation is so important. Being together with other people who are donors and recipients is going to be quite a healing thing for us.
"People will be coming from all over the world to do something really fun is just a great thing. It is the ultimate in seeing the good side coming from such tragedy – and raising the profile of organ donation. 
The couple will be joining a party of around 50 people from GB to take part in the games.
Shaun, 60, is taking part in the Nordic skiing one-hour race and the 2km snowshoeing, while Katey is competing in two Nordic events, the 5k and the hour races and the snowshoeing.
Katey, who will be a team captain, said: "We are both extremely rusty in terms of our Nordic skills but hoping to outweigh this with our enthusiasm and Yorkshire guts.
"We have self-financed this trip and are not officially raising any money ourselves but want to raise the profile of organ donation so that people can see how it changes lives.
"Grieving a son is a terrible thing to do. You have to be very active, making sure that you are living for yourself afterwards and not getting too lost in things.
"This should be a very uplifting thing for us to do."
Charley, who spent four seasons at Darlington Mowden Park RFC before joining Harrogate RUFC, was described by friends as a "wonderful player, person and friend".
Katey said: "He was a very positive young man. He will be incredibly proud we are doing this." 
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