Bailey Merritt, 13, died on Tuesday (August 26) after four years with brain cancer.
In 2022 he was taken to Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital to be treated for headaches and hallucinations caused by what was later discovered to be a virulent brain tumour.
He died at Haven House Children’s Hospice in Woodford Green on Tuesday leaving his family “heartbroken”.
Bailey was only 13 when he died (Image: Carl Merritt) His brother Carl told the Recorder: “Bailey just liked what everyone else liked – he loved to please others.
“When we used to go shopping, he wouldn’t think about himself but he’d say ‘oh, so-and-so would like this’ or he’d be clever and pretend to like something so we’d buy it and then he’d go and give it to someone else.
“He was the most generous boy in the world.”
Carl explained that Bailey loved rainbows as he was only able to see bright colours after becoming partially blind in the latter stages of his treatment.
The family are encouraging the Collier Row and wider community to put out rainbow ribbons in Bailey’s memory.
“He was an amazing young man and he was an inspiration to a hell of a lot of people.
“He had a sense of humour that was unmatched.
“He would walk in a room, and it doesn’t matter if you were having the worst day ever or you had just found out the worst news, in one way or another Bailey would make you laugh or smile.”
Bailey’s love for colour and drag led to some specific funeral requests which Carl explained are in the process of being arranged.
“He loved The Greatest Showman and he wanted something like that.
“He said he doesn’t want anyone crying but he wants people to see a show instead – he wants people to celebrate him and have a dance and a laugh and celebrate what he used to love.
“We’ve sent out Facebook requests and we’ve had a lot of responses from people willing to turn up on the day.”
Carl said the family are hoping to hold the funeral on September 12.
She said: “People need to realise that cancer does take kids.
“There’s not enough people talking about brain cancer and especially not in children.
“Often people forget that children with cancer are still children – they still want to play.
“Bailey once started a water fight in a hospital ward and all the children were using syringes with water in – it was lovely to see.
“Even with the pain Bailey was in, he was still joking and running around all the time.”
She also credited Haven House and said it was “the most amazing place” for Bailey.
She added: “It would be great to get some rainbows up to show that cancer hasn’t beaten him – he’s just on his next journey.
“He always said ‘I don’t want to be known as the cancer boy, I want to be known as Bailey’ so if Collier Row can support him with that, it would be great.”
