NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 01: Ed Sheeran performs a sold-out show at Madison Square Garden Arena on November 1, 2013 in New York City. (Photo by Anna Webber/Getty Images for Atlantic Records)
Ed Sheeran surprised 6-year-old Ollie Carroll at the Manchester Evening News Arena on Monday.
Who Is Ollie Carroll?
Ollie suffers from a rare, degenerative condition called Batten Disease, which has already left him unable to walk, see and speak. It’s heartbreaking to know that little Ollie may not survive past 12 years old.
Ollie’s parents, Lucy and Mike, claim that Sheeran’s songs have gotten Ollie through some of the toughest situations.
“The power of Ed’s voice has pulled Ollie through the hardest and darkest of times,” Lucy and Mike told Manchester Evening News. “As soon as Ed walked into the room and spoke Ollie’s eye lit up and a smile spread across his face.”
“This image was priceless. Ed spent time with Ollie and gave him the biggest of cuddles, he had high fives with Amelia who was completely in love and couldn’t stop staring at him,” they 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 can not 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.”
What Is Batten Disease?
Batten Disease, usually regarded as the juvenile form of NCL, is an extremely rare and fatal autosomal recessive neurodegenerative disorder that begins in childhood. Early signs of Batten Disease typically appear around ages two to 10, with a progressive onset of vision problems or seizures.
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