During the evening, he was stabbed multiple times and in the early hours of 23rd July we as his parents and siblings had to endure that knock on the door from the police that every parent dreads, to tell them their child, their brother, had been stabbed, had suffered life threatening injuries and wasn't expected to live. We were rushed in the back of a police car to be by his side. On the way to the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton, the nearest trauma centre, Charlie suffered a traumatic cardiac arrest due to his injuries. Against all the odds and thanks to the incredible expertise of the HEMS doctor and paramedics who performed rare and complex surgery in the back of the ambulance, Charlie survived the journey to hospital where he then underwent 4 hours of further surgery. The doctors repaired his aorta and abdomen where he had been stabbed. When we were finally allowed to see him, almost 12 hours after that knock on the door, he had received multiple blood transfusions which meant he didn’t have an ounce of his own blood left, he had tubes coming out of pretty much every part of his body and had countless machines attached to him keeping him alive. That is something NO ONE should have to go through and a sight NO ONE should ever have to see.

 

Charlie fought for his life for nearly 3 days under the most incredible professional care of the team at the Royal Sussex hospital. For those three days, the doctors and nurses didn’t leave his side and he was surrounded by his family who only left him briefly when he was undergoing further medical procedures. Due to the cardiac arrest, Charlie’s brain had been starved of oxygen. The trauma to his body meant that his brain swelled and despite being rushed for further brain surgery which he again survived, we were told he had suffered irreversible brain damage, he would not survive his injuries and we would need to say our goodbyes to him. To be honest, once that knife had penetrated his heart, Charlie didn’t really stand a chance of survival. Close friends of Charlie, themselves just 17 years of age too, travelled to say their goodbyes and then, surrounded by his mum, dad, brother, sister, grandparents, aunties, uncles and cousins, Charlie’s life support was switched off and he died in our arms on the evening of Tuesday 25th July.

 

Charlie didn't like fighting – he was one of the first to walk away from trouble.  He was a sensitive and considerate lad– most of the time! – a fun and loving son and brother and a kind, caring, loyal friend.

 

Yes, he could be a pain, but he was 17 years old, with a loving family, good friends and was adored by those who knew him.  He had just weeks earlier started an amazing groundkeeping apprenticeship at Charterhouse School close to where he lived and had brilliant, supportive colleagues. He shared dreams and aspirations of becoming the Head Groundsman at Chelsea FC, the team he had followed since he could kick a ball.

 

Charlie had a bright future – he was maturing in to a fine young man with his whole life ahead of him. He had just passed his driving test and was enjoying his new found freedom. He was days away from experiencing his first lads holiday which he was so excited about. And then, in a moment of sheer evilness and brutality, that life was stolen from him and he was stolen from us.