Brave Bradley Lowery sadly dies after cancer battle
The young boy lost his battle with cancer
Bradley Lowery, the Sunderland football mascot whose beaming smile touched thousands of people around the world, has died after a battle with a rare cancer.
The six-year-old struck up a close friendship with star striker Jermain Defoe after he was diagnosed with neuroblastoma.
In a statement on the family's Facebook page, Bradley's mother Gemma Lowery said:
"My brave boy has went with the angels today 07/07/17 at 13:35, in mammy and daddies arms surrounded by his family.
"He was our little superhero and put the biggest fight up but he was needed else where.
"There are no words to describe how heart broken we are.
"Thank you everyone for all your support and kind words. Sleep tight baby boy and fly high with them angel.''
Yesterday an emotional Jermain Defoe broke down as he reflected on his special bond with Bradley Lowery.
The two struck up a friendship when the little Hartlepool lad, was a mascot for Sunderland while Defoe was at the club.
"It has been difficult. I have kept this in for so long,'' Defoe said.
"I have tried to be strong for my family and his family but I don't know how to put into words how I feel. It's a special time, having that special time with Brads.
"The first moment I met him I could not believe he was the young kid who was ill because he ran over to me. From that moment, there was an instant connection.
"I knew he would be mascot but I hadn't seen a picture and he just ran over to me. His energy in the changing rooms, bossing the other kids about - a great character.
"I speak to the family every day and I was with him a few days ago. It was tough to see him suffer like that.
"I felt like I was prepared for it after what I went through previously with my dad (Defoe's father Jimmy died of throat cancer in 2012). It was so tough to see a kid of that age going through it for so long. "He will always be in my heart for the rest of my life."
Sunderland AFC tweeted that their thoughts 'are with the Lowery family following this afternoon's sad news'.
The England squad also sent a tweet saying 'There's only one Bradley Lowery.'
Many more football clubs paid tribute to Bradley.