Jermaine Defoe has broken down at a press conference for Bournemouth as he talked about cancer-stricken Bradley Lowery.
Defoe and Lowery have been ‘best friends’ since the six-year-old first walked out as a mascot with the footballer before one of his Sunderland appearances.
Throughout Lowery’s tough battle, Defoe has visited him regularly.
Last week, Bradley’s parents revealed the tragic news that his health had deteriorated and that he was ‘close to being with angels.’
Defoe said at the conference:
It has been difficult. It has 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 added:
I can say it is only a matter of days but he will be always be in my heart for the rest of my life. We are there for the family even going forward and it puts stuff into perspective.
There isn’t a day that goes by where I don’t wake up and check my phone or think about little Bradley because his love is genuine – I can see it in his eyes when he looks at me.
You can find out more about Bradley’s story here.
