Yorkshire schoolboy, 13, saved lives with organ donations after tragic fall from shopping centre car park

Noah Gamero, 13, was looking forward to performing in Wind in the Willows at the NAPA performing arts school in Hull and was planning going to a Comic Con event and taking a trip to Loch Ness.

His mother Charlotte said the talented actor, who wanted to be a GP, was happy, confident and doing well at school - and nobody who knew him could understand why it happened.

Days earlier the Hymers College pupil had performed in Les Mis and was told by numerous audience members afterwards that he would win an Oscar one day.

His last message to his family said: “I love you all”, followed by a red heart emoji, an inquest in Hull heard.

In a statement read to the hearing on Thursday Mrs Gamero painted a vivid picture of her “thoughtful and empathetic” child and said: "It seems impossible that he was feeling so desperate when outwardly he was so bright and full of energy."

The inquest heard that a woman returning to her parked car at the back of the St Stephen's shopping centre on March 23 2022 heard a loud bang. Turning a corner she saw a person lying on the ground in a carpark.

He suffered devastating injuries and was taken first to Hull Royal Infirmary and then Leeds General Infirmary where he was taken off life support the following day.

His organs were donated “because he always put others before himself” and later this year his actions will be recognised when he will be posthumously awarded the Order of St John United Kingdom Award for Organ Donation.

In her statement Mrs Gamero said she was still at a loss to understand the events of March 23.

Noah was captured on CCTV leaving school at 2pm and was later found to have gone to a McDonald's on the Kingswood estate an hour and a half's walk away. He may have then walked back to St Stephen's, which would have taken at least an hour.

He'd disabled the Live360 tracking app used by his family so they wouldn’t know his whereabouts.

Mrs Gamero’s statement said: "He'd never had an unauthorised absence from school before. I can't comprehend why he would take himself out of school to spend 4.5 hours alone, to travel to a McDonald's which is not his favourite food in an area which he'd never been before."

Later a forensic search of his phone and laptop didn’t provide any further clues. He’d deleted his WhatsApp and hadn't left a note.

The inquest heard that Noah had gone from "boy to man” in lockdown, his height had shot up to 6ft, and he could be mistaken for an adult.

In October 2021 he'd had “dark thoughts” of self harm and had seen a counsellor, a nurse at school, and spoken to his mum.

Later there had been a “variety of issues and pressures within his friendship group” at the performing arts school PQA, but they appeared to have been resolved and Noah “was happy to return”, according to its principal James Aconley.

At the inquest Hymers headteacher Justin Stanley recalled Noah as a very bright, well mannered boy, who stuck up for other pupils when they had problems.

He had returned to school after lockdown "with long hair, big, bold, a character” and was "extremely sophisticated" for a 13-year-old, a regular attender at the student led Equality Society.

He appeared to be "emotionally in a good place" in the days before the tragedy.

A teacher at Hymers, who saw him just before he left on the day of the tragedy, said they'd discussed what lunch was going to be like at the canteen.

A statement added: "He seemed upbeat. He seemed happy and jovial. This was the last time I saw Noah, I never saw him upset of struggling in any way."

Senior Coroner Professor Paul Marks ruled Noah died by suicide. He said Noah had tried to avoid a second camera capturing him as he left school and had sent misleading messages to his family saying he was at a sports club – which wasn’t taking place that day. He said Noah’s motives would be never known.

Thousands of pounds have already been raised in his name and donated to LGI’s Paediatric Unit and YoungMinds.

In a statement issued afterwards Mrs Gamero said: “Noah remains the most extraordinary and beautiful soul we’re ever likely to know.

"It was an honour and privilege to be his mum and share his short, yet full and vibrant life.

"We are so very proud that his life has gone on to save many more, after Noah’s organs were donated.

"It’s what he would have wanted because Noah always put others before himself.”

Mrs Gamero said Noah's memory would live on and they would continue fundraising to allow children who may not otherwise have the opportunity the chance to take part in the arts.

Childline is a free, private and confidential service to help anyone under 19 in the UK with any issue they’re going through.

Trained counsellors are available any time, day or night by calling 0800 1111. They also offer email access and 1-2-1 counsellor chat.