Stephen Sutton has passed away, his family have confirmed.
The 19-year-old touched hearts across the world with his selfless dedication to fund-raising as he battled terminal cancer.
Stephen succeeded in raising over £3million for The Teenage Cancer Trust charity before his death, keeping followers updated on his journey through a blog and social media platforms.
On April 23rd, Stephen shared what he dubbed his "final thumbs-up" with an accompanying picture on his Facebook page, which boasts over 900,000 followers. Soon after, celebrities including Benedict Cumberbatch and Jason Mannford got behind his cause.
Earlier this month it appeared that there was a brief respite for the teen, with talk of a "remarkable" recovery that allowed him to be sent home from hospital.
He was re-admitted yesterday though, with Stephen's family taking to his Facebook page to say:
"Hi everyone, this is Stephen's family. Unfortunately in the last 24 hours Stephen's condition has deteriorated to where he can no longer communicate through this page himself. Unfortunately the breathlessness which had him re-admitted to hospital is due to the regrowth of tumours which are blocking his airways, and not just due to infection as we had all been hoping. He is currently comfortable and stable, and we will let you know of any further developments. Right now however, as a family, we wish for a certain amount of privacy for us to spend what time he has remaining with him. We appreciate everyone's concern, and for all the love and goodwill sent his way, and indeed ours too, we thank you deeply x"
This morning, Stephen's mother confirmed the sad news that he had passed away in the early hours of this morning.
May he rest in peace.
