Terminally ill Liverpool fan Denise McQuillan was able to meet her Liverpool hero Ronnie Whelan before she died, with her family reaching out to the club and her dying wish being granted (via the Echo).
The 42-year-old was a life-long Liverpool fan who was tragically diagnosed with incurable cancer at the start of 2016, and unfortunately she passed away earlier in July.
Her family managed to organise a meeting with Whelan as well as a number of messages from the likes of Jamie Redknapp, Harry Kewell, Steven Gerrard, and Robbie Keane.
Her sister Belinda spoke to the Echo, detailing Denise’s struggle: “She fought hard to stay with us and it would have been selfish to ask any more of her.
“She was buried in her Liverpool jersey, which she adored, and we draped her coffin in her LFC duvet.
“Many thanks to Ronnie Whelan who made her journey special by coming to see her.
“We are eternally grateful to everyone.
“She was thrilled with all the support.
“We as a family just want to say thank you and leave her in peace now.”
It’s obviously a tragedy to lose someone before their time – especially a fellow Liverpool fan like Denise. At least she got to meet one of her heroes though, and the lengths her family went to to fulfill her dream will obviously have let her know just how loved she was.
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Her niece Shauna was the one who started the campaign and contacted the club, and she too spoke to Echo.
“In March, [Denise] made the decision to move from the hospital to St Francis Hospice in Raheeny near Dublin, Ireland,” she said.
“She currently sits in her hospital bed every day under her Liverpool bed clothes and I know it would be amazing for her if there is anything the club could do to make her feel special in any way.
“The past few weeks I was trying to figure out anything I could do… just one little thing to make her feel special so please, it would mean the world to me, my family and of course your number one Liverpool FC fan Denise McQuillan.”