A brave teenage boy who died with his mum by his side has sparked an outpouring of grief across Merseyside.
Kyle Smith, from Litherland, was just 19 when he died at Claire House Hospice on February 23 following his battle with Ewing Sarcoma - a cancer which mainly affects children and young adults. Kyle previously told the ECHO he started having trouble going to the toilet and experienced cramp like symptoms.
The keen basketball player went back to his GP who performed a physical examination, but couldn't find anything that could be causing the pain. When Kyle woke up with painful cramps a few days later he went to hospital and further tests showed a 15cm by 15cm cancerous tumour in his abdomen and he was diagnosed with Ewing Sarcoma.
READ MORE: 'Amazing' teenager, 19, dies after suffering stomach cramps
Throughout his whole journey Kyle bravely shared his story on his TikTok account scousekyle to raise awareness of Ewing Sarcoma and to urge teenagers to pay attention to their bodies. Since hearing of his death, people across Merseyside have rushed to pay their tributes and messages of support to the family.
One ECHO reader said: "So sad, tears are streaming. What an amazing young man. Such a cruel world, rest in peace. Sleep tight now, God took you too soon." Another added: "A sad and touching story. Rest in peace Kyle." A third wrote: "Can't stop the tears. So very sad and devastating for his family."
Mum Amanda said when her son was first diagnosed it was not classed as terminal, however the cancer eventually stopped responding to chemotherapy. After trying alternative treatments which made Kyle more ill, the teenager took the brave decision to stop chemotherapy.
When he stopped the chemotherapy treatment, Amanda said he developed an infection and would go "downhill drastically" once he stopped taking the antibiotics. The 40-year-old said Kyle died "peacefully" as she lay next to him, adding: "I said to him 'I am sleeping right next to you mate and if you need to go, you can go. Just don't go anywhere without telling me'.
"I gave him a kiss on the cheek and he went to me 'K' and that was the most he had spoke in hours and he closed his eyes and took a deep breath and that was it."
Amanda said Kyle enjoyed gaming, his PC and social media and was an A* student who was about to start studying accountancy at Hugh Baird College before covid hit. The mum-of-three said she believes his "dark sense of humour" is "what got him through most of what he went through."
Taking to the ECHO's Facebook page, Teresa Barrett said: "So sad and so young, rest in peace young man. Thoughts and prayers to his mum and family." Leanne Newman added: "That’s so sad and way too young, a whole life ahead. Rest in peace young man, my thoughts are with your mum and dad and siblings and your family and your friends and teachers and your colleagues and who knew this young guy."
Karen Armstrong said: "Heart wrenching story of a brave young man and his family. Rest In Peace Kyle" and ECHO reader Linzi Maca wrote: "I have just bawled my eyes out reading this imagining his poor mum laying next to him saying don't go anywhere without telling me, wow my heart is breaking for the whole family, sleep peacefully Kyle."
To follow Kyle's journey on TikTok, please click here. Advice and support for anyone suffering from Ewing Sarcoma can be found at Sarcoma UK – which has information on Ewing sarcoma as well as general support for people with sarcoma.
