An emotional Jack Grealish dedicated his first Premier League goal in almost 16 months to his younger brother Keelan on the 25th anniversary of his death
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Updated 08:35, 03 Apr 2025
Jack Grealish's family tragedy after his baby brother died at nine-months-old
Jack Grealish's family tragedy after his baby brother died at nine-months-old
Jack Grealish struggled to hold back tears as he paid an emotional tribute to his late brother, Keelan, who died 25 years ago. The Manchester City star, 29, found the net for the first time in the Premier League since December 16, 2023, helping his team secure a 2-0 victory over Leicester on Wednesday night.
But for Grealish, the goal carried far more weight than just breaking his scoring drought - it came on a deeply significant day for him and his family. April 2, 2000, marked the heartbreaking loss of his little brother Keelan, and on the 25th anniversary of his death, Grealish delivered a performance that felt almost fated.
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Overcome with emotion, the Birmingham-born winger spoke about the moment and its profound meaning. Fighting back tears, he shared: "I felt like I deserved to play tonight and I was just happy. It was a nice day because my little brother died 25 years ago today. So this day is always hard in the family. My mum and dad were here, and I think this day is always difficult in the family, so to score and to win is brilliant."
Jack dedicated his goal to his late little brother
Jack dedicated his goal to his late little brother
Following the match, Grealish took to social media to honor Keelan’s memory. He posted a poignant image of his celebration alongside a photo of his baby brother’s grave, writing: "With me always, especially this day. That was for you, Keelan."
It wasn't long before Jack's girlfriend, Sasha Attwood, took to her Instagram stories to re-share Jack's touching post. Sasha, who shares seven-month-old daughter Mila Rose with the footballer, added a praying hands emoji and a love-heart emoji beside Jack's post.
Keelan was just nine months old when he tragically died from cot death, a loss that deeply affected the Grealish family. Jack, only four at the time, has carried his brother’s memory with him throughout his life and career.
Jack was overcome with emotion on the 25th anniversary of Keelan's death
Jack was overcome with emotion on the 25th anniversary of Keelan's death
Jack’s father, Kevin, has previously spoken about the grief that still lingers decades later. "He was only nine months old, he was a little angel, and I was devastated. We all were," Kevin recalled.
"Jack was only a kid himself back then, but he still remembers Keelan and he still thinks about him with everything he achieves. We still miss Keelan and still think about him - you never ever get over losing a child - but we are so grateful and lucky that we are blessed with Jack, his brother Kevan, and his little sisters, Holly and Kiera."
Keelan died from a "Cot death," which also known as Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), and it is described by the NHS as the sudden, unexpected, and unexplained death of an apparently healthy baby, usually under one year of age, where no cause is found after a thorough investigation.
Keelan died at nine-months-old due to SIDS
Keelan died at nine-months-old due to SIDS
SIDS typically occurs in babies under one year old, with the highest risk between 2 and 4 months of age. The exact cause of SIDS is unknown, but research suggests it may be related to a combination of factors, including developmental abnormalities, environmental factors, and potentially a baby's vulnerability to certain stresses.
SIDS is quite uncommon, with around 200 babies dying from it each year in the UK.
If you have been affected by this story, advice and support can be found at The Lullaby Trust.
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