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| POPULAR: Bradley Mills and his mother Michaela. Picture: SUPPLIED. |
TRIBUTES have been paid to a teenage rugby player and musician who tragically died of a rare bone disease.
Bradley Mills, 19, of Abbots Ripton, was described as a "quiet and unassuming teenager who lived for his sport and music". He died on October 29.
More than 120 people turned out for Bradley's funeral, held at St Andrew's Church in Abbots Ripton on Wednesday November 11. The service included some of Bradley's favourite songs, which he selected himself, including Iron Man by Black Sabbath, Ruby by the Kaiser Chiefs and Jimi Hendrix's Crosstown Traffic. Swing Low, Sweet Chariot and Jerusalem were also sung by mourners, who dressed in party dresses and rugby shirts at Bradley's request.
Bradley was diagnosed at the age of 16 with Ewing's sarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer which affects young people. He underwent surgery and had his right leg amputated to battle the disease, but it returned in 2008 in his jaw, and further tumours were identified in September of this year.
His mother Michaela Giles said Bradley had faced the disease head-on.
She said: "He fought very bravely for three years: he never complained or moaned about what he had to go through.
"He knew that with every treatment he was closer to being cured."
"Bradley had an incredible will to live. He was so strong and so brave through it all."
After moving to Abbots Ripton from Romford six years ago, Bradley attended St Peter's School in Huntingdon and then Huntingdonshire Regional College, where he had begun studying one of his passions, motorsport engineering, when he fell ill.
He played for St Ives Rugby Club, and was a talented drummer who loved to jam with his dad Richard and friends. During his time in hospital he was given drum skins by the band the Kaiser Chiefs, and met Roger Daltrey twice, impressing him with his drumming skills.
"He lived for his music and for his rugby, which he absolutely loved, but he was also very artistic. He would read Marvel comic books and use them as inspiration for his own drawings, and he enjoyed playing on the Xbox with his sister Rhiannon," said Michaela.
"He was quite a quiet and unassuming teenager, but when he got onto the rugby field he loved the competition.
"Bradley was very a popular person - he had a lot of friends. It was a lovely surprise to see the number of people who came to his funeral, but it shows that Bradley had friends everywhere."
Michaela also paid tribute to the staff at Priory Fields and Hinchingbrooke and Addenbrooke's Hospitals who helped Bradley throughout his illness.
"The doctors and the nurses were a huge help and comfort to us both, and I want to thank them. They have been fantastic."
INFORMATION: Mrs Giles has been raising awareness and money for research into Ewing's sarcoma, including running a half-marathon, an auction and a balloon release. Next year she will tackle an 84-mile walk along Hadrian's Wall with nine other fundraisers to raise money for the Bone Cancer Research Trust. Donations can be sent to the funeral directors, William Peacock & Sons, Castle Hill Lodge, Castle Moat Road, Huntingdon, PE29 3PG.
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