Jermain Defoe is asked about his friendship with Bradley Lowery a day before the six-year-old Sunderland fan he formed a close friendship with died from cancer
Through his illness and his love of Sunderland, where he appeared as a mascot in the Premier League match against Chelsea in December 2016, he struck up a friendship with Sunderland and England striker Jermain Defoe.
He soon began to refer to Defoe as his "best mate" and the England star often visited him in hospital to comfort him through his treatment. Lowery was elated when Defoe was recalled to the England side in March 2017 for a World Cup qualifier against Lithuania and walked on to Wembley with his best mate as his mascot.
Defoe this week visited Lowery in hospital to say goodbye and later in a media conference at his new club Bournemouth talked about the friendship with a boy that would "always be in my heart".
He will always be in my heart for the rest of my life," he said. "We are there for the family, even going forward. It is difficult. It puts stuff into perspective.
"There is not a day that goes past where I do not wake up in the morning and check my phone or think about little Bradley because his love is genuine and I can see it in his eyes. It is special."
