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Talented University Student Dies While Celebrating End of Exams
WalesOnline ^ | 9 FEB 2022 | Tom Bedford

Posted on 02/09/2022 3:25:20 PM PST by nickcarraway

George loved singing, dancing and acting but his family said his real love was science and he was studying biochemistry

A talented university student who acted with comedy star Jack Whitehall collapsed and died while celebrating the end of his university exams.

George Franks-Herbert, 18, was in a nightclub in the early hours when he became ill and could not be revived by paramedics on February 1.

Police have ruled out foul play and his heartbroken family, from Pontyclun, have been told he died from a “medical event”.

Tributes flooded in for George, an extra in TV’s Casualty who worked alongside Whitehall and American actress Eva Longoria in the BBC’s Decline and Fall.

George loved singing, dancing and acting but his family said his real love was science and he was studying biochemistry at Bristol University.

Read more: You can find more stories from across Rhondda Cynon Taf here.

His mother Diane, 57, said: “Acting and performing was his hobby - he went to stage school from being very young.

“His first stage role was when he was just five months old playing baby Jesus in a church nativity.”

George was in his second term at university after getting A-grades in his A levels at Cardinal Newman High School in Rhydfelin, Pontypridd.

His family said he had a practical exam on January 31 and went out celebrating with friends and became ill at the Gravity nightclub in Clifton, Bristol.

Diane and husband Peter, 60, were woken by police at 3am to be told their son, the youngest of four children, had died.

Mr Franks-Herbert said: “We are waiting for the post mortem results but we’ve been told it was a medical event.

“He was modest, kind, warm, caring and shy - we’ve had so many messages saying he was a lovely and thoughtful young man.

“He came home for Christmas and spent the whole time studying for his exams. He was doing very well at university.

“George was the baby of the family, that’s why we are going to miss him so much.”

The couple have three other children, Alice, 29, Clare, 26, and Edward, 23.

The football-loving teenager - a devoted Leicester City fan like his father - was close to his family and rang home every day with his mum telling him what to have for his evening meal.

His parents travelled to Bristol regularly to take him out for a meal in Bristol as a break from his studies.

His father said: “He came home every few weeks and we would go and see him.

“We have been spending time looking at old photographs and remembering happy times together.”

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Retired bio-scientist Mr Franks-Herbert said the family was waiting for the results of a post-mortem examination.

George was a member of the Stagecoach school in Bridgend, for 14 years but his family said he had no plans to make a career of acting.

A statement from the school said: “George started at Stagecoach as a four-year-old and in July 2021 received his 14-year award. Truly a remarkable student & young man.

“A million memories of him at Stagecoach are swirling around our heads.

“George was clever, funny, genuine, good natured and determined - we are truly grateful to have known, taught and loved him.

“He turned 18 last June and left Stagecoach last summer to go into the world to further his education.

“He had such a bright future ahead as he had started his degree in Biochemistry at Bristol University."

George’s university friends are being offered support to help them come to terms with the tragedy.

Professor Sarah Purdy, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Student Experience at Bristol University, said: “We are all very sorry to hear about the death of first year Biochemistry student George Franks-Herbert.

“George was a popular student who had made lots of friends and he was enjoying his time in Bristol. Academically, he was doing really well, thriving in his studies and getting first class marks.

“I know this news will affect many of our students and staff deeply.

“We are in the process of reaching out to George’s friends and those who studied with him to offer our help and support, and we encourage anyone who is affected by this tragic news to contact our wellbeing services for support.”


TOPICS: Education; Health/Medicine; Local News; Science
KEYWORDS: antivaxcoven; bristol; clotshot; collapsed; suddenly; wales
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To: Captain Walker

And people come from around the world to attend European/UK higher education programs, your point?


21 posted on 02/09/2022 4:02:36 PM PST by cranked
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To: nickcarraway

Just up and died and we have no clue = Medical Event.


22 posted on 02/09/2022 4:04:11 PM PST by RetiredTexasVet (When Satan craps another demon possessed Progressive is born.)
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To: Captain Walker; cranked
About education standards -- it depends. Our nation has the 3rd highest population in the world: plenty of good and bad including in education.

Even here in Alabama, I'd put the education standards of some towns as higher than most in Europe, especially in Huntsville (where many of the students are kids of engineers). But not so in the Dim-voting parts of Alabama where "diversity" means you don't want to "act white".

23 posted on 02/09/2022 4:05:04 PM PST by Tell It Right (1st Thessalonians 5:21 -- Put everything to the test, hold fast to that which is true.)
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To: cranked
The point being that our higher education systems are hardly the "sh*t education system we have in the US" that you describe.

As I said, don't confuse the K-12 education system with the higher education system.

24 posted on 02/09/2022 4:05:35 PM PST by Captain Walker ("If you think tough men are dangerous, wait until you see what weak men are capable of."- J Peterson)
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To: Tell It Right; cranked
The point being that cranked used a pretty broad brush against our education system; I've only pointed out that it wasn't supported by the facts.
25 posted on 02/09/2022 4:09:26 PM PST by Captain Walker ("If you think tough men are dangerous, wait until you see what weak men are capable of."- J Peterson)
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To: nickcarraway

Get the jab. End up on a slab.


26 posted on 02/09/2022 4:09:48 PM PST by dennisw
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To: LibsRJerks
COVID blood clot? What else kills an 18 yr old on the spot.

Sometimes an aneurysm, sometimes a undiagnosed congenital heart defect (revealed ONLY during heavy cardio like basketball workouts).
27 posted on 02/09/2022 4:26:00 PM PST by Dr. Sivana (“...life is very good without Facebook and that we would live very well without Facebook."-B.LeMaire)
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To: Boogieman

Very seldom do college students begin at upper division right out of high school.


28 posted on 02/09/2022 4:27:07 PM PST by ifinnegan (Democrats kill babies and harvest their organs to sell)
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To: Roadrunner383
We know that an 18 year old has never died suddenly in the history of the world, so what else could it be?

They have ... largely suicides, criminal behavior, reckless stunts and drug ODs. That's not what we have in this case. There are other causes in developed countries, but they are rare enough to make the news. An awful lot of these have made the news in a short period of time.
29 posted on 02/09/2022 4:28:44 PM PST by Dr. Sivana (“...life is very good without Facebook and that we would live very well without Facebook."-B.LeMaire)
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To: ifinnegan

My son dual enrolled 2 years in high school and was taking 300 level classes when he started college.


30 posted on 02/09/2022 4:29:49 PM PST by LilFarmer
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To: LilFarmer

What major?


31 posted on 02/09/2022 4:40:43 PM PST by ifinnegan (Democrats kill babies and harvest their organs to sell)
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To: nickcarraway

Drank himself to death??


32 posted on 02/09/2022 4:56:18 PM PST by Nifster (I’m see puppy dogs in the clouds)
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To: nickcarraway

Maybe he fell over and hit his head on a microphone.


33 posted on 02/09/2022 5:01:02 PM PST by dforest (Freaking insane world. )
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To: ifinnegan
If he’s 18 he’s not taking biochemistry yet.

He's in his second semester in college but why does it really matter to you?

This article is about a poor kid who dies, not about what he was studying in college.

You're getting really pathetic dude.....

34 posted on 02/09/2022 5:12:47 PM PST by Hot Tabasco
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To: Hot Tabasco

It’s called reading anything in the media with skepticism or an analytical eye.

You sound like a liberal.


35 posted on 02/09/2022 5:32:44 PM PST by ifinnegan (Democrats kill babies and harvest their organs to sell)
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To: Roadrunner383

“We know that an 18 year old has never died suddenly in the history of the world, so what else could it be?”

Certainly not. Perhaps this should be elevated to Breaking News.


36 posted on 02/09/2022 6:08:52 PM PST by plain talk
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To: Captain Peter Blood

Okay. Did he drop over and hit his head on a microphone?


37 posted on 02/09/2022 6:10:12 PM PST by dforest (Freaking insane world. )
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To: Nifster

With facts in short supply, alcohol poisoning does seem a top possibility. Good kid goes out to celebrate end of the term/ decompress, gets caught up in drinking games or whatever, doesn’t know his limits, and no friends stop him. Happens in America too, but Britain has a major problem with binge drinking youth.


38 posted on 02/09/2022 6:14:53 PM PST by Chewbarkah
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To: Chewbarkah

Indeed


39 posted on 02/09/2022 6:27:14 PM PST by Nifster (I’m see puppy dogs in the clouds)
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To: ifinnegan

Europe

Different schedule


40 posted on 02/09/2022 6:30:23 PM PST by Chickensoup ( Leftists totalitarian fascists are eradicating conservatives)
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