The parents of teenage Turriff footballer Orla Taylor have paid tribute to their “amazing girl” who died suddenly aged just 16.
The Turriff United Youth player and coach from Fyvie developed sepsis after catching flu over the Christmas holidays.
“We just miss her so much,” said dad Scott.
“We never dreamt for one moment we would lose her,” added mum Fiona.
Active Orla always loved football
Born on June 22 2008, in Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, Orla was the youngest of Scott and Fiona Taylor’s three children.
She weighed just over 8lbs, and despite signs of a possible early delivery, she “stayed where she was” eventually completing the Fyvie family a few days later than her due date.
A happy and contented baby, she fitted right into the Taylor family.
As a youngster, she enjoyed time with her big brother Innes and older sister Freya, and always enjoyed family time with grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends.
The “lovely, laid back” little girl began school at Fyvie Primary, following playgroup and nursery.
“Even then she was such a happy, outgoing girl,” said mum Fiona. “She rarely stopped… always on the go.”
A fan of cycling, running and exploring, the “outdoor girl” especially loved jumping on her bike to visit her nana Yvonne.
“She also loved to play with our dogs in the field, climbing on hay bales. Or take her dolls in and out of the car,” said dad Scott. “But really, even from a young age she just loved football.”
‘She’ll be forever number four,’ said mum Fiona
Starting in Primary Four, her talent and hard work were immediately evident.
“She was always a little bit of a tomboy, but even then she was able to show some of the boys how it was done,” said Fiona.
When Orla moved up to Turriff Academy, PE and football remained her big passions in life.
She joined Turriff United Girls, eventually becoming captain of the Under 16s squad playing in her number four shirt.
In a tribute from her club she was described as being so passionate about football that she began coaching her own team, and just weeks before she died, was awarded player of the year.
“Orla was just so dedicated. And she was so encouraging of everyone else playing that she took on the role of head coach for her old school, Fyvie Primary, as well,” said Scott.
“The club has said they will now retire her shirt. Orla will be forever number four,” Fiona added.
‘We’ll treasure memories of our Orla,’ dad Scott says
And if she wasn’t playing and coaching, Orla loved to watch football too.
“If her friends were playing she would be there. Or she’d be freezing with her pals at Pittodrie. I’ve lost count of how many subscriptions we have for sports channels too,” Fiona said.
“She had no problem roping the rest of us into watching with her,” Scott laughed.
“We’ll treasure memories of her – cuddled up on the couch with us – enjoying family movie nights and daft games nights too.”
Fiona added: “We called her the hot chocolate queen.”
“I regularly got a text to pick up marshmallows on my way home,” Scott said.
Dedicated Orla had her sights set on the Army
The popular 16-year-old, who worked part-time for Celebrations of Turriff, left school last summer aged 16.
A confident girl “who could talk to anybody”, she secured her Nat 5s and enrolled at North East Scotland College, Aberdeen, excited to complete her uniformed services course to join the army.
She’d recently started going to a gym in the city and was enjoying nights out for meals with big sister Freya, an Aberdeen University student.
“Orla got on the bus at 7am to go to college, would be there all day, then get the bus home and go straight to Turriff for training.
“She wouldn’t get in until about 8 o’clock at night. She was just amazing. So dedicated,” said Fiona.
“There was one night a couple of months ago when we were both working. There was snow on the ground and she just took off on her bike, head torch on, the two miles down the road to the bus stop, just to get to her training.”
“I walked up to the top of the road the other day,” Scott said, “and could just see her coming, no hands on the handlebars, texting while the bike is going full speed down the hill.
“It isn’t real for us yet that we won’t see her again.”
Worsening flu symptoms led to emergency treatment
Fit and healthy Orla had “a bit of a cough” on the run-up to Christmas. Then, on Christmas Day, she developed a temperature.
With the onset of vomiting, Fiona slept beside her daughter each night. Orla attended the out-of-hours G-doc service at Inverurie Hospital twice between Christmas and New Year.
“Both times we were told she had flu. By Hogmanay she was much worse so we called for emergency help. We are so incredibly grateful to the nurse practitioner and paramedics who immediately began treating Orla, believing it to be sepsis.”
Sepsis, which is a life-threatening condition, arises when the body’s response to an infection injures its own tissues and organs, with the immune system going into overdrive.
Orla’s flu led to a respiratory infection which developed into sepsis.
With her mum beside her she was taken by ambulance to the ARI, with dad Scott following behind them in the car.
“We couldn’t fault the care she received. From that first nurse responder to the resus team, to the medics in intensive care who all did everything they could,” said Scott. “We are so, so thankful.”
‘We never dreamt we would lose Orla’
On arriving at the hospital just after midnight, Orla was still “her usual happy self” despite being incredibly unwell.
Doctors broke the news that she would have to be put into a medical coma to best treat her condition.
“Her brother and sister, grandparents, aunts and uncles, made it to see her and to speak with her, which we are really grateful for,” Scott added.
Tragically, however, by mid afternoon of New Year’s Day, Orla had passed away.
Family grateful for community support
In the wake of her death the Taylors say they’ve been overwhelmed by the kindness of their community.
Thousands of reactions to the news online sparked hundreds of tributes, cards, comments and tokens of practical support.
“We’ve always known how important the football community was. But since Orla’s passing we realise that it really is a family. And Orla was so incredibly loved by her football family and all who knew her.”
One last run past Turriff United for Orla
A Celebration of Orla’s life will take place on Monday January 27, at 11.30am in Fyvie Parish Church.
She’ll make one final journey past all the places she loved.
Starting at her home, the funeral cortege will drive by Fyvie Primary School, past Celebrations of Turriff, then down to Turriff United, before arriving at the church.
“We’ve been told her friends will be in their football kits,” added Scott, “in honour of their captain and beloved friend.”
“Her service is actually on the day when it would have been the PE prelim. She would have been tickled by the fact it’s had to be postponed in her honour,” said Fiona.
‘She was amazing, and we miss her dearly’
Orla will be remembered as the fun-loving girl who fearlessly ziplined through mountains and trees in Canada, who loved family holidays, had a massive passion for sport, and who had aspirations to be part of the army, and later in life, to join the police following in the footsteps of her late aunt.
A fan of a good detective series on TV and Zach Bryan music, she was an avid multi-tasker taking “everything of life that was thrown at her.”
Orla’s football legacy will also live on.
“When we heard that she would be the last person to wear the number four shirt we were incredibly proud, and desperately sad.
“She was the most amazing girl. So good-natured.
“We all miss her terribly.
“The weight of grief on everyone is immeasurable.”
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