Tributes to brave Bradley as he dies in arms of parents
BRADLEY Lowery, the six-year-old cancer sufferer whose bravery touched the nation’s hearts, died yesterday in his parents’ arms.
His family said there were ‘no words to describe how heartbroken we are’ as they announced his death.
Bradley was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a rare form of cancer which attacks the nervous system, when he was 18 months old.
After years of treatment doctors thought he had gone into remission, but tragically the disease returned last year.
In his final months the youngster from County Durham won admirers around the world as he faced his illness with a beaming smile.
He led the England football team on to the pitch at Wembley in March with his ‘best friend’ striker Jermain Defoe, having become a regular fixture as a mascot at Sunderland’s stadium.
Yesterday afternoon his family posted on social media that Bradley had died at 1.35pm in the arms of his parents Gemma and Carl, both 33. The statement said: ‘My brave boy has went with the angels today … surrounded by his family.
‘He was our little superhero and put the biggest fight up but he was needed elsewhere. There are no words to describe how heartbroken we are. Thank you everyone for all your support and kind words. Sleep tight baby boy and fly high with them angels.’
Within minutes of the news being released, thousands of people had paid tributes to the youngster online.
Following his diagnosis in 2013 Bradley endured radiotherapy, chemotherapy and stem cell transplants. He was thought to be beating the disease, but it returned in July last year.
Well-wishers raised more than £700,000 in 2016 to pay for him to be given antibody treatment in New York, but medics then found his cancer had grown and his parents were told his illness was terminal.
Bradley continued to receive treatment to prolong his life, but he left hospital on May 24 to have palliative care at home in Blackhall Colliery. Remaining funds raised will go to the Bradley Lowery Foundation to help other ill youngsters.
Bradley became an international figure of bravery as more than 400,000 followed his fight online.
He received 315,000 Christmas cards and packages from around the world last year after an appeal from football fans.
Last week his parents organised a party for him to say goodbye to his family, and to premier league footballer Defoe, whom he called his best friend.
In a press conference on Thursday, Defoe held back tears as he said: ‘It is a special time, having that special time with Brads. He will always be in my heart … It was so tough to see a kid of that age going through it for so long.’
Sunderland Football Club paid tribute to Bradley’s ‘indomitable spirit, tremendous courage and beautiful smile’, adding: ‘He demonstrated a bravery and fortitude beyond his years that humbled us all.’