The heartbroken family of a brave teenager who was battling cancer have said they will "never forget him" after his lost his fight with the disease.
Dylan Reid was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in November 2020 and had recently returned home to the North East from Liverpool after being told the devastating news he had just days left to live. The Longbenton 14-year-old had previously had surgery to remove a tumour and underwent three intense rounds of chemotherapy to kill the cancerous cells in his blood.
But sadly, on Tuesday March 14, Dylan passed away at Newcastle's Royal Victoria Infirmary, just days after he and his family had attended the unveiling of a mural in his honour in Ouseburn. His family have since paid tribute to the "sassy" teen who fought cancer until the end.
Read more: Heartbreak as 'loving' Longbenton schoolboy, 14, with rare cancer has days left to live
Dylan's aunty, Danielle, said the teen's condition slowly deteriorated a day after he had attended a surprise unveiling of a mural in his honour. She said: "Dylan went back to his mam's house for dinner on Sunday and he started to get a bit tired. By Monday he was asleep pretty much all day and then on Tuesday evening he was gone, it happened so quick.
"We are broken. We knew it was going to come to an end at some point, but we didn't think it would be that quick. But we have many fond memories of Dylan, we have his wall and many events coming up in his memory. We'll never forget him, never ever."
Danielle added: "He's out of pain now, he's peaceful. He's not having people prodding and poking him on a daily basis and having to go through all of those horrific treatments. We'd like people to remember him as a sassy little boy with his own unique personality, he was his own person. He was one of those who you will never forget."
Dylan leaves behind a large, loving family, including his mum Kelly Ann Moore. Speaking at the unveiling of his mural last week, she said: "He's very sassy, he's always smiling. He won’t let it get him down, he’s just a bubbly person."
A GoFundMe page which was set up for Dylan managed to raise a massive £3,707 and a DJ event, Dance For Dylan 2, an all-night party at Cosmic Ballroom on Stowell Street will also take place on Saturday, March 25, with money raised going towards Dylan's family.
Dylan's funeral will be held at Tynemouth Crematorium on March 31 at 12pm - with a request of family flowers only.
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