Chelsea's John Terry Offers to Pay for 8-Year Old Fan's Funeral
Former England international and current Chelsea captain John Terry visited 8-year old fan Tommy Miller last year at Stamford Bridge after learning that the boy was suffering from leukemia. Unfortunately, little Tommy succumbed to his condition.
According to BBC, a friend of the family communicated with the English football star in social media, explicitly asking him if he can help, which Terry immediately responded by offering to pay for the boy's funeral costs.
The veteran footballer immediately contacted the funeral director and verified if the request from the family friend was indeed legitimate, and after learning it was, he decided to pay for the burial, flowers, and car services. The 35-year old, talking to the local press, said that he wanted to give the boy the "send-off he deserves" and that he himself was devastated by the news of his passing.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
According to Tommi's mom, Ruth, the family is grateful for Miller's act of kindness and that she hopes to use some of the money to purchase a special headstone for the boy. She also mentioned that the entire family is quite proud with the fact that the football star remembered their child.
Tommi was first diagnosed to have leukemia when he was three. He and Terry became close when the footballer sent the boy a letter after he was placed on life support. Doctors made an unsuccessful bone marrow transplant in the hope of saving the life of the young boy, but he died last month.
BBC also reported that the funeral will be held on Thursday, where those who will attend are encouraged to wear Chelsea or Cambridge United shirts. The family said that they want to deviate from the traditional way of holding a funeral since it is for a young child. The mother added that they want it to be as happy and joyful as possible since kids like Tommi would have wanted it that way.
