Charlie Duignan was a "happy boy" with a "love for life"
Charlie Duignan died aged eight
Charlie Duignan(Image: Yvette Duignan)
A family travelled five hours to Hill Dickinson Stadium to honour their son who died aged eight. Despite being "happy and healthy" Charlie Duignan's family were told the devastating news he had a brain tumour in 2022.
Born in 2015, Charlie, from Exmouth, was a "normal child" who adored sport and loved to play rugby, football and cricket from the age of four. From an early age his heart belonged to Everton FC, taking after his dad who is also a Blue. His dream was to see Everton play in their new stadium.
In April 2022 Charlie began waking up with headaches and was sick early in the morning, but would go to school as normal after. Four weeks later, in May, he was diagnosed with a brain tumour.
His mum Yvette Duignan, 46, told the ECHO how you'd never have suspected Charlie was ill as he'd played a six hour football tournament just days earlier. She said: "There were no other signs apart from the headaches and sickness. We were told the news two days before his birthday in May. You never expect it is going to happen to you.
"He had surgery to remove the brain tumour and after surgery he was left with posterior fossa, which meant he couldn't talk, we had to teach him how to write again and he had to learn to walk. Football was a huge part of his recovery."
Charlie had radiotherapy treatment followed by nine months of chemotherapy after the surgery and was given the all clear in July 2023.
Tribute paid to Charlie at Everton's first league game at Hill Dickinson Stadium
Tribute paid to Charlie at Everton's first league game at Hill Dickinson Stadium
Yvette said: "During the cancer he was still going to school part time. He had a real love for life, he was very strong despite being so young. He really wanted to get better and carry on with his life as normal.
"After treatment he went back to school full time. But in October he started becoming poorly again. He started feeling sick and had headaches and in the November we found out he had relapsed - this time it had gone into his spine."
The family were told Charlie had just weeks to live. He continued at school and saw out the year before deteriorating in the run up to Christmas. Towards the end of December Charlie lost the ability to walk and was moved to a hospice.
It was there he was visited by Bristol City FC players, who organised a tour of their stadium and videos from some of Everton's players for Charlie to watch.
The Make a Wish Foundation also got in touch with Charlie's family and of course he asked for nothing other than to watch his team play their first competitive game in their new ground, which was yesterday (Sunday, August 24).
Charlie died on January 11, 2024 but his family honoured his wish and travelled five hours from Devon to Merseyside to watch the match against Brighton.
Yvette said: "It was an emotional day but it was lovely to be at Everton for Charlie. Everton had been so supportive in helping us arrange the trip and even helped organise a special personalised flag stone at the new entrance to the ground which we visited yesterday.
"The whole day was very special, one of our seats was 333, three was Charlie's favourite number and the seat next to us was free, for Charlie, he was there with us, I know he wouldn't have missed it.
"A tribute to Charlie was shared on the big screens, with his picture. It was a huge day for Everton but personally it was a big day for us as a family too, getting to share Charlie's memory with everyone was so special and the atmosphere inside the stadium was amazing."
Yvette said Everton also donated a signed Everton shirt and Jordan Pickford's signed football boots to the family in memory of Charlie, which have been given to his youngest brother Rian, 13, who joined his mum and dad, David Duignan, 48, at the Hill Dickinson Stadium yesterday. Charlie also has an older brother, Jack Murdoch, 25.
In Charlie's memory the family set up a foundation in his name. Charlie's Beach School Exmouth was opened in September 2024, you can find out more about the charity here.