The U.K. boy Charlie Proctor, whose battle with cancer touched millions around the world, died on Friday night after telling his mother, 鈥淚'm sorry for this.鈥�
The 5-year-old boy who hailed from Church, U.K, 240 km north of London, died in his parents鈥� arms nearly three years after being diagnosed with a rare type of cancer.
His parents, Amber Schofield and Ben Proctor, had raised $611,600 in a last-ditch effort to pay for a life-saving treatment in the United States. But they鈥檇 been told Charlie鈥檚 cancer had become incurable and that he was too sick for treatment, which would have included a liver transplant.
On Saturday, his mother wrote a post on the family鈥檚 Facebook page that, 鈥溾�� the night before.
She said the world had 鈥渓ost an incredible little boy鈥� and called Charlie her 鈥渂est friend鈥� and 鈥渂iggest inspiration.鈥� She said Charlie had inspired thousands of people around the world, including famed singer, Pink.
Schofield thanked Charlie for not only showing her what 鈥渓ove really means鈥� but because 鈥測ou gave me chance to be a mum.鈥� She wrote about how the couple鈥檚 鈥� hearts are aching鈥� and how she was 鈥渉urting so much.鈥�
But she wrote that, 鈥渘ow, it鈥檚 time to fly, I am so, so proud of you. You fought this so hard.鈥�
Charlie was diagnosed in February 2016, with Hepatoblastoma, a rare cancer that starts in the liver. After undergoing successful surgery at Birmingham Children鈥檚 Hospital in the U.K, his cancer went into remission.
Unfortunately, his cancer returned and his story attracted attention around the world thanks to his parents鈥� efforts to raise money for his treatment.
Hours before her latest post, Schofield in which she declared it was the 鈥渓ast photo I post of Charlie.鈥� She described how her son鈥檚 weight loss, a symptom of the cancer, had made Charlie unrecognizable.
鈥淲here has my chunky baby gone? ... He was the cuddliest baby ever! He鈥檚 our chunk. I want everyone to remember Charlie for who he is,鈥� she wrote.
His mother went on to talk about how her memories of him being funny and cheeky were replaced with the daily struggles of him sad, tired, fed up and depressed.
鈥溾�業 don鈥檛 know what to do anymore鈥� are his main words.. today, he鈥檚 been very agitated, wanting to lay down, sit up, lay in bed, then on the beanbag, then on the sofa,鈥� she described in excruciating detail.
鈥淐harlie, at one point, turned to me and said in the most quiet, panting voice, 鈥楳ummy, I鈥檓 so sorry for this鈥�,鈥� his mother wrote. 鈥淗e was sorry because he wanted to move again and he felt he had to apologize for that?鈥�
She talked about how her heart broke upon hearing that from her son. She said 鈥渘o child should feel the emotions Charlie is feeling. Having to watch them deteriorate in this way is the most painful thing anyone will ever feel.鈥�
Despite Charlie spending his last few hours in her arms, she asked: 鈥淗ow can I miss him so much when he鈥檚 led (sic) beside me? I miss just having a chat, a cuddle that doesn鈥檛 cause pain. I miss squeezing him and kissing him all over.鈥�
