Cole Dunlop, a 15-year-old from Glasgow, had his World Cup dream come true after a horrific accident at school left him needing major head surgery. On March 4, Cole fainted while trying to push open a door in the school corridor, causing him to fall and crack his head open. He suffered a fractured skull and was rushed to the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow, where he underwent a five-hour surgery to control a bleed on the brain. He remained in the hospital for five days and was then kept off school for three additional weeks.
Uncertain recovery before trip of a lifetime
During the worrying months following the accident, Cole, his mother Julie, and his 11-year-old sister Milly had a trip to Boston booked to see the Scotland national team play in their first World Cup in 28 years. However, it was unclear whether Cole would be medically cleared to travel. Fortunately, on June 6, just days before the tournament began, Cole received the all-clear to fly to the United States.
An unforgettable experience in Boston
While in Boston, Cole managed to secure tickets to Scotland's opening match against Haiti on June 14, which Steve Clarke's side won 1-0. He also had the opportunity to meet Craig Ferguson, a Tartan Army superhero who raised £1 million for mental health awareness by walking over 3,000 miles across the US. Cole expressed his excitement: "Boston was amazing and I was surprised with tickets to the Scotland vs Haiti game which I couldn't believe. I've never been more proud to be Scottish. It was one of the best football matches I’ve ever been to. The team done so well."
Mother praises medical team
Julie, Cole's mother, expressed relief that his recovery was smooth enough to allow him to travel. She said: "It would have been a very different situation if Cole's recovery hadn't been as smooth. We had mentioned to hospital staff that Cole was due to fly to Boston but we didn't know if he'd be allowed to fly or not. We made it with a few days to spare. It was such a relief that it timed out the way it did." She also praised the trauma team at the hospital: "The trauma team was great even after we were home. They couldn't have been better. I didn't even know they were a team in the hospital but they take care of when you're in a situation you didn't expect to be in."
Return to normal life
Cole has since returned to school and started playing football again, although he still has to be careful. The teen was initially inspired to go to the World Cup after watching the Scotland team train at the end of May. As a big Rangers fan, he was especially delighted to meet Lawrence Shankland, who had just completed a move from Hearts to Rangers. Cole said: "I was so happy to meet Lawrence Shankland given he had just signed for Rangers. I was so happy. It was such a good day."
