He's one of the biggest stars on the planet, so it was nice to see Ed Sheeran put some time aside to grant one special fan his final wish. The British singer, 26, surprised six-year-old Ollie Carroll at his concert in Manchester on Monday. The young fan, who hails from Poynton, suffers from a rare and degenerative condition, called Batten Disease.
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The award-winning star later took to stage wearing a red band to promote Ollie's Army, a family-led campaign to raise money for specialist equipment and research. Ollie's mother Lucy shared her delight with Manchester Evening News: "The power of Ed’s voice has pulled Ollie through the hardest and darkest of times. As soon as Ed walked into the room and spoke Ollie's eye lit up and a smile spread across his face."
Ed Sheeran surprised a dying fan this week
She added: "Ed is one of the loveliest guys we have ever met, he asked us to explain Batten Disease and Ollie’s Army. He was truly saddened by our journey. To us, last night Ollie wasn't meeting a star, he was meeting 'his' star, he was meeting the man that taught him the power and love of music. As parents we cannot thank Ed, his team and every single person who shared Ollie's video enough. Our dying boy wished to meet his hero, that wish was granted." Ollie has already lost his speech, sight and his ability to walk because of the condition. It is unlikely that Ollie will survive past 12 years old.
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This sweet gesture comes a few weeks after Ed paid for a group of Liberian children to stay in a safe place following his recent trip to the country in aid of Comic Relief. Following his emotional plea during the televised show, the organisation confirmed that the songwriter has ensured the young boys are now safe. A spokesperson tweeted: "JD & his friends, who Ed Sheeran met, are now safe but many more children still live in danger. Help us help them."