Saturday 6 August 2022 10:52 PM Mother of tragic 12-year-old Archie Battersbee pays tribute as his life support ... trends now
It was the devastating end to the most heart-breaking of public legal battles. At 12.15pm yesterday, Archie Battersbee passed away in hospital, surrounded by his family, after doctors finally withdrew his life support.
Appearing outside the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel, East London, yesterday afternoon, where the 12-year-old has been in intensive care since April, his mother Hollie Dance – visibly distressed – paid an emotional tribute to her ‘beautiful little boy’ who ‘fought right to the end’.
Announcing her son’s death, she said: ‘I’m the proudest mum in the world. He was such a beautiful little boy and he fought right until the very end, and I am so proud to be his mum.’
The story of Archie, an aspiring Olympic gymnast, and of the family who fought so hard for his life, has captured the hearts of the nation.
Hollie Dance paid tribute to her son, Archie Battersbee, 12, outside Royal London hospital in Whitechapel, east London, after doctors finally withdrew his life support on Saturday
The youngster was found unconscious in his bedroom in April, following what his parents believe was a social media game gone tragically wrong
The fit and active little boy was found unconscious in his bedroom in Southend, Essex, four months ago following what Ms Dance, 46, and Archie’s father, her former husband Paul Battersbee, 56, believe was a social media game gone tragically wrong.
Starved of oxygen, he was left with a catastrophic brain injury. Since that day, they have remained by his side, unwilling to give up hope that he might recover.
Even when doctors told them that Archie was overwhelmingly likely to be brain-dead, and recommended withdrawing his care, they continued to fight to give him a chance of survival.
Their stoicism has been nothing short of remarkable. Ms Dance has described how she believed her son had held her hand, that his facial expressions changed, and that she knew, instinctively, that ‘my son is in there’.
She has talked to her little boy, read to him and played him his favourite music. She has slept by his side, waking to check his machines every 40 minutes.
They battled against Barts Health NHS Trust, which runs the hospital, and took their fight to the High Court, the Court of Appeal, and the European Court of Human Rights in a bid to give him extra time on life support.
'Family's unconditional love': Archie pictured as a toddler with his older brother Tom Summers
They have been publicly critical of the trust, claiming there has been ‘no support’, and that a letter handed to them described plans which amounted to a ‘choreographed execution’ of Archie.
Just last week, they fought to have him transferred
