Bradley Lowery's mother issues heartbreaking statement over Coventry fan's 'cruel' act

Bradley Lowery’s story touched the hearts of football fans up and down the country (Credits: PA)

Gemma Lowery has demanded her late son Bradley is ‘remembered with love, not hate’ after a video emerged allegedly showing a Coventry fan using a picture of her ‘beautiful boy’ to taunt Sunderland supporters.

The incident occurred during Coventry’s Premier League clash with the Black Cats on Saturday, in which goals from Tatsuhiro Sakamoto, Taiwo Awoniyi and Jack Rudoni steered Frank Lampard’s men to a 3-1 victory.

The five-second clip in question appears to show a young spectator in the home end at the Coventry Building Society Arena smirking while pointing to a photograph of Bradley on his mobile phone.

Bradley was a lifelong supporter of Sunderland and his battle with neuroblastoma, a rare form of childhood cancer, touched the hearts of supporters across the footballing world – and beyond – before his tragic death at the age of six in July 2017.

His legacy lives on through the Bradley Lowery Foundation which was established in August later that year and has helped support countless families in raising funds for treatment and equipment which is not readily available through the NHS.

Shockingly, it is not the first time that Bradley’s death has been used in such a sickening way, with Sheffield Wednesday fan Dale Houghton sacked from his job and handed a 12-month suspended prison sentence following a similar incident back in 2023.

The late Bradley shared a beautiful bond with then Sunderland striker Jermain Defoe (Picture: Getty)

The young Sunderland fan lost his cancer battle in 2017 (Picture: PA)

After the latest deplorable occurrence, Bradley’s mother Gemma took to Instagram to plead with supporters to stop the ‘cruelty’ while calling on Coventry to ‘take appropriate action’.

‘My beautiful boy deserves to be remembered with love, not hate. Yesterday, a Coventry fan used a photograph of Bradley to taunt Sunderland supporters,’ she wrote.

‘As Bradley’s mam, this is heartbreaking, especially as it’s one of my favourite photographs of him. Just look at that smile.

‘I remember that day like it was yesterday. He was so happy, having so much fun. Those moments were precious because they were few and far between. So much of Bradley’s short life was spent battling cancer and enduring treatments no child should ever face.

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‘To see such a beautiful memory used in such a cruel way really does make my heart hurt.

‘We are a football-loving family who follow Sunderland home and away. I’m all for football banter, but surely mocking a child who died from cancer is not banter?

‘I hope the club takes appropriate action and the young lad’s family help him understand how hurtful his actions were. I don’t want hatred directed towards him, so please please don’t. I just for him to learn from this.

‘Behind that photograph is a little boy who was loved beyond measure and a family who miss him every day.’

Gemma took the opportunity to thank those who had stepped up to defend Bradley since the video first began to circulate on social media.

‘Thank you to everyone who has defended Bradley and shown us so much love. It means more than you know,’ she added.

‘What some people don’t realise is that Bradley’s story didn’t end when his life did.

‘Because of Bradley, children’s lives are being saved, hundreds of families have received vital support, and children facing unimaginable battles are being given hope.

‘Through Super Brad’s Pad, families can escape hospital life, spend precious time together and make memories that last forever.

‘That is Bradley’s legacy. The difference my little boy continues to make in this world. No amount of cruelty will ever take that away.