Former Black Cat Jermaine Defoe has made an emotional return to the North East to reunite with Bradley Lowery's family.
The former Sunderland striker struck up a heart-warming friendship with the youngster, who was battling neuroblastoma, after he was a mascot at the Stadium of Light.
Tragically, Bradley lost his fight with cancer in July 2017.
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Defoe returned to the North East to visit Bradley's parents, Gemma and Carl Lowery, at their home in Blackhall Colliery to chat to them about their son's life as part of his BBC Radio 5 Live podcast 'Jermain Defoe: Outside The Box'.
Speaking on the podcast, Defoe said: "It has been difficult. It has been hard because I have kept this in for so long, obviously trying to be strong for my family and his family as well.
"I don't know how to put into words how I really was because it was a special time really, having that relationship with Brad.
"From that first moment I met him, I couldn't believe he was the young kid who was ill because he ran over to me.
"I think from that first moment, there was that instant connection.
"All I can say I speak to the family everyday, I was with them a few days ago and it was tough to see them suffer like that. In a way I thought I was prepared for it with what I'd gone through with my dad.
"It was so tough to see a kid that age who had been going through it for so long. Obviously got to the stage where, he will always be in my heart for the rest of my life.
"We are there for the family going forward. It is difficult and puts things into perspective.
"There is not a day that goes past where I don't wake up and think about Bradley because his love is genuine and I could see it in his eyes when he looks at you. It is special to you."
Gemma and Defoe discuss how the family discovered he had cancer, the moment when Bradley first met Defoe, and when the footballer led England out against Lithuania with Bradley as mascot before his cancer became more aggressive.
Gemma said the friendship Defoe has with her son helped him massively.
She said: "Huge, absolutely huge. He was very lucky because he got to meet his hero, his idol and spend lots of quality time with you before he passed.
"I think it meant a lot. It meant a lot to us knowing now that he got to do that."
The chat is the tenth episode in the podcast series where Defoe - who during his career scored a remarkable 305 goals for seven different clubs and 20 more for England - will lift the lid on life after football and his dreams of one day becoming a manager.
Fans can expect to learn personal details about his life and football experiences and the podcast promises a fascinating insight into the football world.
He will recount some of the worst things that have happened to him on the pitch and that includes a story involving former player Hermann Hreiðarsson.
During the podcast series, Defoe - who during his career scored a remarkable 305 goals for seven different clubs and 20 more for England - will lift the lid on life after football and his dreams of one day becoming a manager.
To listen to the podcast 'BBC Radio 5 Live’s Jermain Defoe: Outside The Box on BBC Sounds' visit here
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