Son who helped save his mum's life has "spectacular" time walking out with Callum Lang at Fratton Park in Pompey win

Dempsey Smith, 9, raised the alarm to his neighbours after his mum, Alicia, collapsed with bacterial meningitis in August. Hospital staff later told Alicia that her sons quick actions had saved her life.

On Tuesday, February 11, Dempsey was given a special night at Fratton Park where he met all the players before walking out onto the pitch with Callum Lang ahead of the 2-1 victory against Cardiff.

Alicia was delighted with how the night went and how welcoming everyone was to her and Dempsey. She said: “It was amazing from start to finish. Dempsey went into the managers office and met John Mousinho and he was lovely with him. He asked him for advice for the game and what they should do and Dempsey said ‘just win’.”

Dempsey received a signed football and got to meet all of the players before the match. There was one player that stood out though. Lang was Dempsey’s favourite player before the match and his experience on Tuesday has only cemented that.

Alicia said: “Callum Lang was just absolutely amazing, he made such a big effort with Dempsey. He was chatting to him and asked if he wanted to walk out with him, and of course Dempsey said yes, he was just amazing. He asked Dempsey what the score would be and he said 2-1 to Pompey, which it was!

“When I was sitting in the stand watching Dempsey walk out with Callum some people sat next to me who turned out to be some of Callum's friends and they were just as lovely. You could see Callum on the pitch making a big effort with Dempsey, he was always talking to him and keeping his hand on his shoulder. He was just amazing with him.”

Dempsey then watched on as Pompey made an electric start to the game with Colby Bishop and Conor Shaughnessy putting Pompey two nil up within 18 minutes. Callum O’Dowda got a goal back for Cardiff but it finished 2-1 making Dempsey’s prediction a prophetic one.

After the traumatic experience of seeing his mum collapse and then go through recovery, it was a night to savour for Dempsey. When asked to describe the evening and meeting Lang, Dempsey said it was “spectacular”.

Alicia was thankful to the club for making it happen. She said: “I just want to say a big thank you to Ashley Emberson at the club for arranging it all. A thank you to all the players as well but especially Callum for how lovely he was. I know everyone says Pompey has the best fans, and it’s true, but that is also because we have the best club who love their fans.”

Watch the moment Dempsey walked out onto the Fratton Park pitch with Lang in the video embedded in this article.

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