My hero, my best friend ... love you, little man
Brave Bradley is Jermain’s hero
EXHAUSTED from his gruelling battle with cancer, little Bradley Lowery falls asleep in Jermain Defoe’s arms as the football ace visits him in hospital.
The heart-melting scene shows a special bond between Bradley and the ex-England star, who is helping him through the agonising treatment to shrink his inoperable tumours and extend his short life. Bradley’s proud mum Gemma posted the photo online, writing: “He didn’t want him to leave today and fell asleep cuddling into him #specialbond #bestfriends.” Sunderland striker Defoe, 34, wrote back: “Love you, little man” – repeating the Best Friends hashtag. He said later: “Visiting Bradley was amazing and to see him smile, despite everything he’s going through, was just the best feeling. “Scoring a goal doesn’t come anywhere near to the feeling I get from spending time with Bradley. I feel tremendously privileged to be
part of his life and he gives me far more than I give him – he’s an incredibly special little boy.”
The pair became friends when five-year-old Bradley – diagnosed with neuroblastoma aged two – was a mascot for Sunderland as they played Everton in September last year.
Gemma of Blackhall, Co Durham, said: “Jermain really has become such a special friend to Bradley, he loves him. He’s a big star but they have really hit it off.”
Defoe visited Bradley at the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle on Thursday along with team-mates Seb Larsson, John O’Shea and Vito Mannone. Bradley’s family wrote online later: “He has cheered up after having some very special visitors. Bradley had lots of fun with the boys and then fell asleep cuddling Jermain.”
Bradley’s starring role at the Stadium of Light last year was a huge hit with football fans and he got 250,000 cards from well-wishers all around the world.
Visitors Everton were so moved they donated £200,000 towards the £700,000 raised to treat his neuroblastoma in America.
And in January he was invited to Goodison Park to be a guest mascot for their game against Man City. Sadly his family was told before Christmas it was too late to save him and his cancer, first diagnosed in 2013, was terminal. He is now undergoing pioneering treatment to extend his life for as long as possible.
Bradley is the first child in the UK to have the £35,000 treatment, which combines chemotherapy with antibody measures.
He had his first round this month and must wait three weeks to find out if it is working.
Gemma admitted the treatment had been “extremely painful”. She said she asked his consultant: “What would you do if it was your son?” and he told her: “I would take him home.”
But she said: “We’re not ready to let him go. I know Bradley has plenty of fight left in him.
“Deep in my heart I knew that I wanted to try. If it meant that I was losing Bradley through treatment at least we’d have gone out fighting.”
After her son’s “excruciating” first round of treatment this month, Gemma told ITV: “Getting him to live until his 6th birthday in May is a such a big milestone for us. Bradley’s still here and having fun, I don’t want to preempt my grief. If he does go, we’ll have years of heartache, so I need to enjoy my time with him now and deal with that when it comes.”
Gemma, 33, knows he will lose his fight all too soon. She, husband Carl, 32, and their elder son Keiran, 15, want to make “every second count” in the time he has left.
She said: “When he went out on the pitch against Everton that night you could feel the love for him. I’m extremely proud of him. He has so many special memories now, that’s what we’ve always wanted.”
Bradley was mascot again in December, against Chelsea, and took a shot during the warm-up that was voted as Match of the Day’s goal of the month.
Gemma said: “Without the world supporting us we wouldn’t have been able to give Bradley this treatment, and he wouldn’t be here. There are no words to say how grateful I am for the kindness that people have shown.”