Brave Liam didn’t want to panic his friends about the rare cancer he was suffering with, so kept it a secret until the day he died.
Liam, who was just 18 when he died, decided not to tell his friends when he was given just weeks to live as he didn’t want to worry them. The teen was battling a rare form of bone cancer called osteosarcoma, which sadly took his young life, according to the Mirror.
The 18-year-old was diagnosed with the devastating disease after he sustained a pulled ligament when playing football. To make matters all the more heartbreaking, it cruelly appeared that he was going to get better but that was not to be the case as he received the tragic news that the cancer was terminal.
His mum Jane said:
It was a shock to a lot of people. He didn’t want any of his friends to know, he wanted to protect everybody.
He didn’t want anyone to know or for anyone to worry about him, other than his sisters and me. But that’s just how he was.
Right up until the day before he died, he controlled his own tablets. He knew what he wanted for when we got the dreaded news.
Liam was a big footie fan and ‘rarely missed a game,’ even heading onto the pitch with crutches and a tumour in his leg, when his team was promoted. The teen sadly died at his home, surrounded by his family, leaving behind his two sisters Kirsty and Kerry and nieces and nephews, Sean, Tyler and Aisha.
His sister Kerry spoke out about his heart-wrenching decision to keep his illness from his friends and his Nanna.
She said:
I went to tell his friends when he passed away, they just thought I was coming to tell them his cancer had got worse.
Even our own Nanna didn’t know, because he didn’t want her to worry.
She revealed he had dreams to become a personal trainer and to help children who ‘didn’t fit into the sporting category.’
She said:
He hoped to work with children who were overweight, and he wanted to give them a bit of confidence.
He was a gentle giant. He loved everyone and everyone loved him. He was very family and friend orientated. Right until the very end, he made sure my mum and Kirsty and I were all OK.
We were trying to look after him and he wanted to make sure we were alright first. Christmas was the favourite time of year for him.
In the summer, Liam’s mates raised funds for him and his family to go to Flamingo Land for a break away but days later he was tragically told the cancer had returned.
At any age, to be diagnosed with Cancer must be awful, but at 18, it tears a teenage life apart.
Thoughts are with the family and friends of Liam and anyone affected by this sad story and devastating disease.
