Source: Daily_Mail
Tamir Cohen speaks about the death of his father Avi
EXCLUSIVEIt took a moment before Tamir Cohen accepted a request to discuss the death of his father. Then it was difficult to stop him talking. [LNB]Avraham 'Avi' Cohen inspired loyalty and devotion - and not only from his family. [LNB] On reflection: Tamir in his Manchesterapartment on Thursday [LNB]'The past three weeks have been like three years,' he said. 'It has been such a difficult time. But it is important to remember my dad as he was. His life was joyful and fulfilled. We all wish it had lasted longer, but he left behind a legacy of smiling faces.[LNB] 'So if people read this and spend a few moments thinking about him, I will be happy.'[LNB] Tamir, the Bolton midfielder, is following in the footsteps of his father by performing in the top flight of the English league.[LNB] A popular figure at Anfield, Avi was a stylish defender who was best remembered for a goal against Aston Villa that proved crucial en route to the League championship in 1980, in the days when Liverpool were the force in the land.[LNB] Close bond: Tamir with dad Avi three years ago [LNB] Last month, Avi's life was cut short by a road accident on the outskirts of Tel Aviv that left him with irreversible brain damage. [LNB]He died, aged 54, on December 29 and, while it is clearly still raw and traumatic, Tamir welcomes the opportunity to remember his dad.[LNB] 'In the end, God wanted him more' Recalling the day he learned of the accident, he said: 'I was just feeding our five-month baby boy, so my wife Yael answered the telephone. She listened for a moment, then handed the phone to me. My brother-in-law told me to pass the baby to Yael and then take a few steps away, into a quiet corner.[LNB] 'I didn't like the sound of it and wondered what was coming. I asked him what was wrong, and all he could say was, "Your father".[LNB] 'It was a couple of minutes before he composed himself enough to explain that there had been a collision with a car, it was really, really bad and they were going to operate on him in Tel Aviv.[LNB] 'I couldn't take it in. It just seemed unreal, because I had been speaking to my dad only a few hours earlier and we were joking. I explained I was taking Yael out for lunch in Manchester and said, "See you later". Within two-and-a-half hours, I was being told he'd had a catastrophic accident.' [LNB]In his pomp: Avi Cohen became Liverpool's first high-profile foreign signing [LNB]And so began a dash to Israel, while England was snow-bound. It was difficult enough to get from Manchester to Heathrow Airport, but that was only the beginning.[LNB] 'We finally made it to the airline desk, at just after eight o'clock, only to find both the evening flights were full,' he said. 'Not only that, there were nearly 400 people on the waiting list.[LNB] 'Then something unbelievable happened. While I was asking if anything could be done, my wife tapped me on the shoulder and said a couple had heard about our situation and given us their seats. [LNB]'They were longing for home as well and had already been waiting ages, but they voluntarily surrendered their places. It was an incredible sacrifice.' [LNB]After a flight through the night, they arrived at 5am. The sight that greeted the 26-year-old is one he will never forget.[LNB] 'My dad was in an intensive care room,' he said. 'Anyone who knew him will tell you he was the most joyful person in the world. [LNB]'He was never sad, always funloving, happy, smiling and outgoing, yet there he was, unconscious and attached to a breathing machine with bandages round his head and so many tubes sticking out of him.[LNB] 'It was a terrible sight and I have never felt so helpless in my life. There was nothing we could do, except pray. That is what we did for the next eight days. We put mattresses down in the corner of his room and we prayed for a miracle.[LNB] 'We knew that because the surgeons who operated said straight away there was no hope. To them, he was dead from minute one.[LNB] 'But we believe in God and we knew that He alone could decide whether someone lives or dies. That is why it was never an option to switch off the breathing machine. Only God has the right to take a decision like that. In the end, He wanted him more than anyone else.[LNB] 'We had to accept that when the hospital staff told us, the following Tuesday, that his brain had died. That was the end, the hardest part of all. My wife, mother, brother and sister all gathered round his bed to say goodbye. [LNB]'We stayed with him for an hour and there were a lot of tears. But it was an opportunity to say a few private things and share some final moments, and I was grateful for that. His heart stopped beating at six o'clock the next morning.' [LNB]Avi had been indulging his passion for motor bikes, regardless of hazards involved. [LNB]'It seems incredible he sustained such serious injuries when, by all accounts, it didn't appear to be that bad an accident,' he said. [LNB]'At the point of impact he was only doing about 15mph, but it was enough to knock off his helmet. Then he fell and banged his head.[LNB] 'We both knew the dangers, but I never tried to stop him going out on his bike. How could I when I'm just like him? If my Bolton contract permitted it, I'd have spent time with him on a bike of my own, doing my best to keep up.[LNB] 'All the dangerous things he used to do, I did as well. We jumped off a cliff together once, into the sea, and another time, we leaped off a bridge. It probably sounds stupid, but we did things like that all the time.[LNB]'It had to stop when I became a professional footballer, but I would still like a bike when I finish. My wife and mother are 100 per cent against it, but we'll see.'[LNB]He is struggling to come to terms with life without his father, but Tamir is grateful for the support of Owen Coyle, the Bolton manager.[LNB] 'It has left a huge gap in our lives, and stepping on the plane at Tel Aviv to return to England was one of the toughest things I have ever had to do,' he said.[LNB] 'It was so emotional, leaving my family behind. But we talked it over and agreed that pursuing my career in football was what my dad wanted more than anything.[LNB] 'Owen Coyle has shown he is an exceptional human being, as well as manager, by being so understanding and telling me to return to Bolton in my own time.[LNB] 'I appreciated that and I can already feel the benefit of being back with my team-mates, training and playing again.[LNB] 'Hard though it is to accept he has gone, I believe it was God's will. If there is one thing I have learned from this, it is that life is a gift and you should embrace every minute of it. That was my dad's philosophy. It is mine now.'[LNB] Tributes flood in for tragic former Liverpool defender Avi CohenFormer Liverpool defender Cohen dies after motorcycle smash in IsraelFormer Liverpool and Rangers defender Avi Cohen in critical condition after motorcycle smash in Israel [LNB] Explore more:People: Owen Coyle Places: Liverpool, Manchester, Israel, United Kingdom, Heathrow Airport
