JERMAIN DEFOE LEFT Bournemouth’s pre-season training camp in Spain in order to attend today’s funeral of Bradley Lowery, who passed away last Friday following a battle with cancer.
Mourners lined the streets from the six-year-old’s home in Durham before a service was held in St Joseph’s Church in the village of Blackhall Colliery.
The funeral service was broadcast to a crowd outside who could not get a seat inside the packed church.
Bradley, known for his affinity with Sunderland, was diagnosed with neuroblastoma at just 18 months old and won the hearts of many with his fighting spirit.
He received care at his home in his final months before passing away last Friday evening surrounded by friends and family.
AFC Bournemouth 🍒 / Twitter
AFC Bournemouth 🍒 / Twitter / Twitter
Bourmemouth striker Defoe built a long-standing friendship with the six-year-old, with Bradley acting as mascot for both Sunderland and England.
The player broke down in a press conference last week when he was unveiled at his new club, explaining just how hard it had been to see Bradley deteriorate.
“It has been difficult,” Defoe said.
“It’s been hard because I’ve been keeping this in for so long trying to be strong for my family and his family.
“I don’t really know how to put into words how I feel. It has been a special time having that relationship with Brad.
“I speak to the family every day, I was with them a few days ago and it was tough to see him suffer like that.
“I felt I was prepared for it after what I went through with my dad, but it was so tough to see a kid of that age who has been going through this for so long and got to the stage where he is obviously struggling.
“He will always be in my heart for the rest of my life. There isn’t a day that goes past when I don’t wake up and check my phone or think about little Bradley.”
Mourners wore ‘Bradley 6′ Sunderland jerseys at the request of his family, while red and white balloons as well as posters lined the procession in Durham.
Tributes were also left outside the Stadium of Light while balloons were also released at Sunderland’s ground earlier today, with former manager David Moyes and Irish international John O’Shea also in attendance at the funeral service.
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Good luck girls tomorrow. Bronze probably the realistic target
Feel sorry for Kelly McGrory. Do all the hard work in qualifying only to be dropped for the final, cos another athlete who was more interested in personal success decides she now wants to be a team player
@WqM9AAv3: name of the game sadly
@WqM9AAv3: I’d imagine the rest of the team would get down on their knees and beg adeleke to start
@WqM9AAv3: erm, they actually want to win a medal. You pick your best available runners.
@WqM9AAv3: she wasn’t dropped. It’s a 6 person team, and you play your best cards in the final. They all do it. At least McGrory got to run. What about Lauren Cadden who didn’t get a run. Should we bring her in for the final because its the taking part that counts.
@WqM9AAv3: that’s how it rolls, she will get her medal if we do medal, if she is not subbed out, very unlikely to get a medal.
So it’s the best thing for her and the team to be subbed out
@WqM9AAv3: You are clueless. Go hibernate for another four years, and you can try and fail then to pretend you know a single thing about Athletics.
@WqM9AAv3: clown she couldn’t run semi as preparing for 400 final .
@WqM9AAv3: are you one of these lads who thinks we shouldn’t keep score in things and everyone would get the same medal after.
@WqM9AAv3: Not knockin McGrory but she was the weakest link in that semi final. Adeleke is a serous improvement for the final. Its basically the same as rotating your squad for the bigger games in soccer. Nothing wrong with it.
@WqM9AAv3: jed what planet are you living on
@WqM9AAv3: clueless
@WqM9AAv3: She probably knew that was going to happen. It’s cruel at times. But sports can be.
@WqM9AAv3: all the medalling teams, bar the 4×100 mens bronze for gb, are doing it. Very professional. Now go get Kelly her medal. Team Ireland!
@WqM9AAv3: it’s a meritocracy. You’re probably used to participation awards but at the Olympics that’s not how it works.
@WqM9AAv3: you think she should have not bothered with the individual? Hahaha wtf
@WqM9AAv3: win at all costs eh? No wonder the sport is clouded in controversy, performance enhancing narcs, men boxing women, athletes returning from doping bans to win medals (legit this time) athletes smashing their pb’s. Big big sigh
@WqM9AAv3: Men boxing women? Get the facts right before spouting nonsense. The ultimate test was done – are they capable of having a child? The answer is YES. Box away girls.
Hopefully a medal usa will win it jamaica most likely second all the other finalists will be up to get the bronze
@Square: USA and the Netherlands in that order. Bronze up for grabs.
@Ray Ridge: GB for silver, Netherlands bronze and gold to the girleens in green. US drop baton at last changeover whilst well ahead..
@Ray Ridge: stop will ya ireland will beat holland with RA in the team usa and jamaica top 2
@Ray Ridge: just saw u running there in the 10 thousand meters last
@Square: I wish I had a tan that good!
@Ray Ridge: netherlands aren’t better than gb, france and Jamaica. Americans to win and then it’s wide open.
@Ray Ridge: you tired yet over 30mins that race lol
@Kevin Dillon: im telling him that all day
@Kevin Dillon: Netherlands will medal. No doubt about it. Provided they don’t get the butter fingers. Forget about France.
@Square: You would be surprised how long I can go for baby!
@Ray Ridge: just wondering Ray are you from Portumna
@Ray Ridge: you’d expect the Dutch to medal alright but Bol has had a really tough week. She is a bit of a freak though
@Oliver Curley: Not from Portumna.
@munsterman: I think they will medal alright. Anything can happen in relays of course.
@Ray Ridge: FIND OUT 815 TOMMORRY USA JAMACIA IRELAND TOP 3
@Square: USA, Netherlands and GB.
Delighted. Girls will run a big race