Eddie Reed, 83, makes it to Millwall one last time
Almost 80 years since watching Millwall for the first time with his Dad, Eddie Reed fulfilled his final wish by returning to watch them one last time, surrounded by his family, and thanks to St Christopher’s.
The Lions could only draw 1-1 with Sheffield United, but Eddie, 83, certainly felt like a winner, just being able to return to The Den to cheer on the team he’s supported through thick and thin for eight decades.
Nicola, one of Eddie’s four daughters, none of whom he persuaded to share his love of Millwall, said it was just incredible how quickly everything came together once Eddie told St Christopher’s staff about his lifelong passion.
“It was on the Friday when the doctor came to see him,” Nicola remembers. “The doctor was asking Dad about his likes and dislikes. He was saying about Millwall and that he’s a season ticket holder. The doctor asked when he’d last been and if he’d like to go again. He said ‘yeah’ and she said she could make it happen.
“She asked when the next game was and I told it was the next day. She said to me that if we could get everything arranged, they could make it happen.”
Alison, doctor at St Christopher’s, said to Eddie, “If time were getting shorter, what is most important to you? He winked as his daughter, asked if he should say, to which she replied yes, and then he divulged it would be to see Millwall play again. He said the next home match was the following day and we decided that, with his family’s support, we could make that happen.”
Eddie’s family had a taxi and portable oxygen cylinders at home. “They were aware he could collapse and could die at the match, but to go to the game was his wish. And his family wanted it for him too, so we all made it happen.
Alison continues, “He was such a gentleman and a real family man, that’s what was most important to him.”
Cue Nicola and sister Lisa mobilising the family, which in total comprises them, Eddie’s two other daughters, nine grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren, in double-quick time. Sons-in-law, grandsons – including one who flew in as a surprise from Spain at a moment’s notice – and great grandsons were summoned. Another grandson, who’s a London cabbie, was lined up to drive Eddie and his wheelchair the five-mile journey to and from the ground.
Asked to pick his highlight, Eddie, who was brought up in nearby Greenwich and who’s barely missed a home game since that first one with his Dad all those years ago, said: “Just being there.”
In fact, whereas on recent visits Eddie’s left early to avoid running out of oxygen, he relished every last moment and clapped every single player off the pitch.
“He was so happy to be there,” Nicola says.
“The St Christopher’s staff were amazing, getting him ready; washed, dressed, fed and in his wheelchair and had his medication. They were a bit worried though when he wasn’t back by six o’clock.
“None of us ever thought he’d be able to go to another game, so for Dad to be able to do that, you really can’t overestimate what it meant to him. So, when I said to the doctors and nurses, ‘you’ve made a sick old man very happy,’ there were definitely some tears.
“We’d all just like to say a big thank you to St Christopher’s for making it happen.”
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