Prominent international figures mourned the death of Alfie Evans on Saturday after the 23-month-old British boy was taken off life support.
Evans, who had a terminal illness because of a degenerative brain condition, was taken off life support five days before he died after multiple courts in Britain ruled that keeping him alive was not in his best interest. His parents had drawn the support of Pope Francis and waged a legal battle to take their son to the Vatican children’s hospital for treatment.
“Our baby boy grew his wings tonight at 2:30 am. We are heart broken. Thank you everyone for all your support,” his mother, Kate James, wrote on Facebook.
His father, Thomas Evans, also wrote on Facebook, “My gladiator lay down his shield and gained his wings at 02:30 absolutely heartbroken I LOVE YOU MY GUY.”
The boy was admitted to Alder Hey Hospital in December 2016 and had a neurogenerative disease associated with epilepsy. He had been in a semivegetative state for more than a year and had been on life support during that time.
His case sparked international debate and backlash against Britain’s National Health Service. His parents fought for months to be allowed to take him to a Vatican hospital, but doctors who cared for him said that further treatment would be in vain and that he should be allowed to die. Britain gives courts the authority to intervene when parents disagree with hospitals about treatment for their children.
The pope had met with the boy’s father and said that he believed he shouldn’t be taken off life support. Italian officials had placed a military plane on standby to transport the infant to Rome.
But doctors in Rome also concluded that Evans couldn’t be treated, and his father thanked hospital staff Thursday “for their dignity and professionalism during what must be an incredibly difficult time for them too.”
After the death of Evans, Francis tweeted Saturday that he was “deeply moved.”
I am deeply moved by the death of little Alfie. Today I pray especially for his parents, as God the Father receives him in his tender embrace.
— Pope Francis (@Pontifex) April 28, 2018
Italian Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano tweeted Saturday: “Goodbye, little Alfie. We loved you.”
Addio piccolo Alfie. Ti abbiamo voluto bene. #AlfieEvans
— Angelino Alfano (@angealfa) April 28, 2018
Vice President Mike Pence sent prayers on behalf of himself and his wife.
Saddened to hear of the passing of young Alfie Evans. Karen & I are praying for comfort and peace for his parents, Katie & Tom, during this incredibly difficult time. May God be with them all.
— Vice President Mike Pence (@VP) April 28, 2018
Alder Hey Hospital said in a statement that it extended “heartfelt sympathy and condolences to Alfie’s family at this extremely distressing time … All of us feel deeply for Alfie, Kate, Tom and his whole family and our thoughts are with them. This has been a devastating journey for them and we would ask that their privacy and the privacy of staff at Alder Hey is respected.”
