Mourners pay sad farewell to brave Charlie
ABRAVE little boy who died after a three-year battle with cancer has been laid to rest in a superhero coffin.
Charlie Procter, from Church, was diagnosed with a rare tumour and passed away on November 9 in the arms of his parents Amber and Ben.
His courageous fight against the disease captured the heart of the country - and US superstar Pink.
Family and friends gathered to pay their respects to Charlie at St Paul’s Church in Oswaldtwistle on Thursday, November 22.
The hearse was adorned with floral tributes reading ‘Charlie’ and his green-coloured coffin was covered with superhero characters from the children’s television series PJ Masks.
In a heart-wrenching Facebook post after the service, mum Amber said: “My baby, you’re home now. Leaving you Thursday morning was the hardest, most painful feeling I have ever experienced. You looked perfect.
“So beautiful Charlie. You was peacefully fast asleep. I couldn’t believe this would be the last time I saw you, the last time I could play with your hand. I kissed your head a thousand times, I played with your toes so I could remember each one of them, I held your hand and spoke my last words to you.
“I didn’t want to leave you, I just wanted to cancel the funeral so I could stay with you longer but I had to leave. “The coffin lid was closed and the funeral needed to begin. I had to say goodbye to my best friend.”
Amber also thanked Charlie for ‘all the amazing memories’ and ‘showing me what love really is’.
She said: “Thank you for making me a mother. I am so lucky to have had you in my life.
“The pain of losing you, of watching you go through this for three years, the guilt of not being able to help, all of it hurts me so much.
“You handled life better than me, you took it all with a smile. I am so, so proud of you Charlie Procter.
“I hope Charlie’s story has made you all realise how precious our life is. I hope Charlie can bring people together.
“There is no good at all to losing him but I hope good can become of it. “I love you more and more everyday baby bum. I miss everything about you. I wish I could of saved you baby. You can rest now. Sleep tight angel.”
Amber and Ben had raised £360,000 for lifesaving treatment in America but last month were told he was too sick to receive treatment and that his cancer was not curable.
Fundraising appeals were held to get Charlie to America and the Accrington Stanley-mad fan appeared on The Jeremy Kyle Show last year to raise awareness.
In recent months hundreds of thousands of pounds had been raised in a last-ditch bid to raise the cash needed and was supported by celebrities including pop star Pink.
Last month his family brought forward Charlie’s birthday by six months because he desperately wanted to reach the milestone.