Sunderland Fan Bradley Lowery Dies of Cancer at Age 6

Six-year-old Sunderland fan Bradley Lowery died Friday of neuroblastoma.

Lowery's parents confirmed the news on Facebook:

The youngster, from Blackhall Colliery, near Hartlepool, England, was diagnosed with the illness at just 18 months, and although he initially beat the disease, it returned in July 2016, and the cancer was subsequently found to have become terminal, per the BBC.

In late May Bradley's family announced his cancer was spreading and he did not have much longer to live, per Sky News.

Football fans around England and the world were touched by the close friendship Bradley formed with striker Jermain Defoe in the final months of his life.

Per The Independent's Jack de Menezes, Bradley was first a mascot for the Black Cats last year and led the England team out with Defoe, 34, when the former Sunderland striker made his international comeback at Wembley Stadium against Lithuania in March.  

Everton donated £200,000 to help Bradley get treatment in the United States after he was the guest of honour at the Toffees' clash with Sunderland at the Stadium of Light last September, per BBC News.

Per Sky News' Nick Powell, it was not just football clubs that rallied around Bradley's cause, as he was given an honorary 41st place in the field for the 2017 Grand National back in April. 

Bradley is survived by his mother Gemma, his father Carl and his brother Kieran.