SINGING superstar Lewis Capaldi had made a large donation to an Essex woman with a ultra rare form of motor neurone disease after bumping into her outside the O2.
Maddi Thurgood, 24, was diagnosed in 2016 with SPG15, a rare form of the disease.
The condition affects less than 100 people in the whole world and Maddi was the first person in the UK to be diagnosed with it.
Maddi’s condition is deteriorating meaning she can now barely walk and is no longer able to stand on her own.
Mum Carina takes Maddi to the bodybuilding Factory Gym, in Witham, where she works on the weight machines to help her muscles.
READ MORE: Maldon football match to be held for Essex woman with rare disease
On Wednesday, Maddi, Carina, and sister Alex travelled to London’s O2 Arena for a Lewis Capaldi concert.
While arriving to the stadium, they bumped into Lewis outside and he stopped to chat to Maddi.
Carina said: “While I was there, I explained about the football match, and he said that was a shame as he was performing that weekend.
“I gave him a leaflet, then when he walked off with the leaflet he was looking at the leaflet and the next thing we knew a donation had arrived.
“I was unaware that this was going to happen, I just happened to be checking things on my emails and there was an email saying there was this donation, and it was from Lewis.
“So, that was really nice.”
Lewis donated £5,000 which will go towards two new promising developments for Maddi including a new base editing technique in America.
Carina said she had invited Lewis to the football match as Maddi is a big fan of his music, saying the concert was an amazing experience for the family.
She added: “It was just random that we were going to see him and he was there in front of him, it wasn’t arranged at all.
“It was pure luck if anything. By chance.”
A charity celebrity football game has also been organised for later this month by Matthew Riggs, a motivational speaker and influencer from Basildon, and his friend Steven Barrett who trains at Factory Gym.
Mr Riggs added: “It’s not every day you see someone of his [Lewis Capaldi’s] stature step in with such kindness and support.
“That gesture alone speaks volumes about the impact Maddi’s journey is having far beyond Essex. It’s a reminder of the good that can come when people unite for something bigger than themselves.”
Matthew, who is playing in the football game, said he wanted to make the game one to remember.
The football charity match will take place on Saturday September 27 and to find out more visit the Maddi Foundation on Facebook.
Share