Corrie legend Debbie Rush has shared her son’s final act of generosity before his tragic death.
The soap star announced on Thursday (December 18) that her son William had died at the age of just 31 on Wednesday. She paid tribute to her “beautiful baby boy” in a heartbreaking post on Instagram, telling fans she and her family are “completely broken”.
She also revealed that William had decided to become an organ donor before her passed. She described it as “the most precious gift of all”.
Debbie told fans: “Even in our darkest moment, William gave the most precious gift of all. Through being an organ donor, he has given hope and life to other families, thinking of others right to the very end.
(Image: PA Archive/PA Images)
“His kindness and love will forever be part of his legacy.”
Organ donation is when someone decides to give an organ to someone else – the act can save someone’s life. Most organ and tissue donations come from people who have died.
In her statement, she said: “Our beautiful baby boy, William, passed away on 17th December. As a family, our hearts are completely broken, and there are no words that can truly capture the depth of our loss.”
(Image: ITV)
She also asked everyone that “our privacy be respected as we navigate this unimaginable grief.” She added: “William will always be loved, always missed, and forever in our hearts.”
William himself was an actor, starring on Waterloo Road as student Josh Stevenson from 2009 until 2012. He played the role of Ali Duncan on Grange Hill from 2005 to 2007 – and appeared in Shameless and Vera.
He even appeared on the Cobbles like his mum Debbie, who is famed for playing Anna Windass on Coronation Street. He appeared on the ITV soap in 2014, playing a young man who threatens Maddie Heath at a hostel.
William retired from acting in 2017. The year before, he showed off his singing talents when he auditioned for The X Factor, aged 21. He made it through to the six-chair challenge, the third of four elimination stages.
He performed Zara Larsson’s hit Lush Life for judges Simon Cowell, Louis Walsh, Sharon Osbourne and Nicole Scherzinger.
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