'HE IS STILL LISTENING'
BRADLEY Lowery is "no longer responsive", but is still "listening to everything" his heartbroken family have revealed.
The family broke the news to Bradley's army of well-wishers last night, with the youngster's brave battle with terminal cancer nearing its end.
BRAVE BRADLEY LOSES CANCER BATTLE
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In a touching Facebook post last night, the six-year-old's family said: "Bradley has had a settled day, he is no longer responsive but we know he is listening to everything we say. He is fighting so hard it's heart breaking for us to watch."
Thanking their supporters, the family later wrote the tot was "very poorly and weak but still fighting on".
They had earlier shared the devastating news that the boy, who captured the heart of the nation in his fight against neuroblastoma, was "very close to going with the angels".
Family friend Lynn Murphy said Bradley's parents Gemma and Carl were in agony waiting for their "baby to take his last breath".
Lynn, the family’s fundraising manager, wrote on the Facebook page: "Bradley is still fighting to stay with us.
"Nobody knows where he is getting the strength from or how he is doing it. He has been very close to going with the angels but he pulls himself out of it."
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"It is a hard time for us waiting and watching for our baby to take his last breath he started with fighting and he is ending with fighting" #nationshero#ourlittlefighter Xxxx."
The little boy's declining health has left his supporters devastated, using blue heart emojis to show their support, with his "best pal" Jermain Defoe breaking down in tears as he spoke about Bradley.
The latest update has seen well-wishers inundate the family with messages of support, writing the young boy had captured their hearts.
Last month six-year-old Bradley's parents revealed he had just weeks to live after his battle with neuroblastoma.
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The little lad held a "bed party" with his friends this week including his "girlfriend" Poppy, before snuggling up to striker Jermain.
Poppy is one of the England and Sunderland mascot's classmates, who recorded a heart-rending single in tribute to their terminally ill pal.
Year One pupils at the six-year-old’s school in Blackhall Colliery, County Durham, joined singing sister act Liv ‘n’ G for a special performance of his single Smile for Bradley.
The song raced to No.3 on the iTunes chart.
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But his family has had to contend with heartless sickos who set up fake Facebook and JustGiving pages set up to get likes.
Bradley's family wrote: "We have been made aware of fake pages created in Bradley’s name to gain likes and even have justgiving pages linked to them, please be vigilant.
“Thankyou for your continued support and when the time comes it will be put on Bradley’s official Facebook (here) and Twitter before anyone else.”
One page called Bradley Lowery claims it is a page to support the youngster, but has been inundated with comments saying it should be shut down.
Issuing a desperate plea on social media, the family begged for help to make a plaster imprint of the six-year-old's hands as a lasting memory of him.
The striker is moving from the club and has joined Bournemouth on a free transfer.
He said: “The highlight of my time has to be walking out with Bradley against Everton and that volley against Newcastle – a goal people still come up to me and talk about!!”
He ended the letter by wishing everyone at Sunderland the “best for the future”.
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