'He was just a lovely person': Cosham teenager, 19, gears up for charity skydive in memory of her brother
“He was just a lovely person to be around,” Jayden’s sister said.
A family has paid emotional tribute to a brother and son who spent his whole life in and out of hospital.
Jayden Brookes from Cosham was in hospital roughly one in every four weeks, according to his family, having been diagnosed with dyskeratosis congenita and pulmonary fibrosis. The former is a rare genetic disorder that can cause premature ageing, bone marrow failure, cancer and other complications. Sadly, the 22-year-old died on Thursday, April 30.
Despite their grief, his family has not only paid a heartwarming tribute to him, but are planning to support a number of good causes in his memory.
Jayden’s sister Tia, 19, described him as a mild-mannered man who never did anything to hurt others.
She said: “He was just a lovely person to be around. He was very quiet - Jayden would spend a lot of time gaming, or driving around in his car.
“If he had his headphones in, he was probably listening to music from the 2010s.”
As a child, Jayden also loved to play pool in Waterlooville, participating in junior leagues and taking home a hefty amount of silverware.
Jayden’s death came quite unexpectedly, following a ruptured spleen. He was taken to Rowan’s Hospice in the final few days, where the family was able to get some final fond memories thanks to their cuddle beds.
His mother, Claire, said: “Where he was so young at the point of diagnosis, he didn’t really know any different to being in hospital so often. We would typically spend one week a month in hospital, but he would never let it get him down. He would build Lego, or play on the Xbox that the nurses gave him.
“When he was in Rowan’s for the last few days, we had one of their cuddle beds - they only have four of them. It was so special to have that time, it reminded me of when he was little and we would cuddle in bed.”
Next weekend (Saturday, May 23), Tia is going to do a charity skydive in Salisbury, raising money for Sophie’s Legacy in memory of her brother. The charity offers support to parents of children in hospital, helping to pay for transport and providing hot meals, free of charge.
At the time of publication, Tia’s GoFundMe page has already made almost £1,800.
She said: “I wanted to do something to remember him by, and do it for a good cause. When Jayden was in hospital as a kid, Sophie’s Legacy wasn’t a thing, but it’s a charity that massively helps other families in a similar situation.
“I’m a little bit nervous about skydiving, but I’m also a bit of an adrenaline junkie.”
Claire added: “When you’re a parent, it costs so much to constantly go to and from hospital. From parking to petrol, even food in hospital costs more than it does elsewhere.”
A further fundraiser for Rowan’s Hospice is already in the pipeline, which would be raising money for an extra cuddle bed.
To donate to Tia’s GoFundMe, follow this link.