Caleb who touched Rory has passed away after battle with cancer

Caleb who touched Rory has passed away after battle with cancer

15 April 2015

THE little boy who helped golfing legend Rory McIlroy open the Daisy Lodge centre in Newcastle has passed away.

Caleb Overton (11), who had a rare form of childhood cancer, died last Thursday from his condition. His funeral service took place yesterday at Roselawn crematorium.

Caleb was by Rory’s side as he opened the groundbreaking facility for children with cancer and their families last October.

Rory had donated £1m from his charitable foundation to support the work of the unit where Caleb stayed with his family during his illness.

At the official opening of Daisy Lodge Rory posed for photos with Caleb, which went around the world, and said that he had been “touched” by what he had learned during his visit.

“It is about giving back and being able to help others,” Rory said at the time.

The unique facility, run by the Cancer Fund for Children, has the capacity to cater every year for 500 families who have children struggling with cancer. Open all year round, it costs £400,000 to stay in business.

Caleb lived in Dundonald with his parents Sandra and Lee, his twin brother Jared, older sister Kyria (14) and younger brother Micah (6). Shortly before his eighth birthday he was found to have a tumour on his spine, known as a spinal PNET. 

Recently paying tribute, mum Sandra spoke about how much her son enjoyed meeting Rory.

“He loved it,” she said. “He knew all about Rory and liked golf. He loved crazy golf.

“Two weeks ago he got given a whole set of clubs but he never got the chance to use them.

“He loved talking to Rory and Rory seemed very fond of him.”

Describing Caleb’s outgoing personality, Sandra said: “He just loved everybody. He would go out of his way to make them happy. He was just amazing. He was very outgoing.”

She said that their priority was to ensure Caleb led as normal a life as possible.

“Caleb loved school,” said Sandra. “He would try to do the same as everyone else. He loved science and wanted to be an inventor when he grew up.”

Dad Lee added: “He was always there for everyone. In a group of people he was always the first to go up and start chatting.”

Caleb was a pupil at Brooklands Primary School in Dundonald. A tribute on the school website reads: “Our Caleb was a very special boy. He was loving, caring, always quick with a joke, always wanting to give of his very best in everything — and of course — always with an infectious smile.”