AN OLYMPIC gymnast has paid a moving tribute to her cricketer brother after he died suddenly during a match.
Josh Downie, 24, from Nottingham, suffered a sudden cardiac arrest whilst playing cricket for Liverpool in May 2021 after battling an undiagnosed illness.
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Despite attempts at CPR and being taken to hospital, Josh could not be saved after falling victim to a hereditary heart disease called arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (ACM).
Three years after his death, however, a mural was unveiled in Nottingham as part of a new campaign by the British Heart Foundation.
Erected to help raise awareness about sudden cardiac death, the poignant piece of street art in Sneinton Market left its mark on his closest friends and family.
Josh’s sister, Olympic gymnast Becky Downie, said she hopes the mural “keeps his legacy alive.”
Speaking to the Nottingham Post Officeshe said: “You hear about things like this happening – but you never, ever think it will happen to your family.
“Josh was a happy, cheerful person and his personality really shined.
“Since his death, everyone who knew him said he was just one of those people who made a huge impact wherever he went.
“He was also very caring and wanted to help people wherever he could.
“It was a huge shock to lose Josh and I remember feeling very confused. It was completely unexpected.”
A keen football player and avid Chelsea fan when he was younger, Josh’s attention soon turned to cricket when he was a teenager.
About a year before his death, he moved to Liverpool to teach sports at a school for underprivileged children.
Following his passing, his family had the opportunity to meet some of the young people whose lives were changed for the better by the former cricketer.
Although Josh grew up in an athletic family, none of his immediate family were screened for ACM, nor were there any immediate signs of the condition.
But after the life-changing incident, her family insists they will continue to be monitored for the rest of their lives.
Her sister, Becky, remembers the shock of learning there was a 50/50 chance she and her family would also suffer the same fate.
“Especially being athletes and having to think about how this would affect our careers,” she said.
She continued: “My understanding now is that ACM is a condition that can present itself later in life, so we will continue to be monitored and tested.
“But I think the silver lining is that at least we have awareness of it and understanding of the condition now.”
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Speaking about the mural, Becky believes Josh would be “proud” of it and says it was an “emotional” moment to see it in person.
“Josh was a huge part of our family and always will be — and we just want to keep his legacy alive,” she said.
Josh’s mural is actually one of 12 unveiled across the country as part of the BHF campaign.
He is pictured wearing an England shirt with the slogan “England until I die” as the Three Lions prepared to open their EURO 2024 campaign last weekend.
Just days after the tournament began, Josh’s other sister Ellie and brother Alex embarked on the BHF bike ride from London to Brighton to raise funds for further research into heart and circulatory diseases.
Both sisters frequently use their platforms to raise awareness about heart issues.
Charmaine Griffiths, chief executive of the British Heart Foundation (BHF), said: “Too many lives, like Josh’s, are being taken too soon by sudden cardiac death.
“No one should have to experience the loss of a child, sibling or parent, but unfortunately that is the cruel reality of heart disease – it does not discriminate.”
Griffiths added how Josh’s mural serves as a reminder of the young football fans who have been swept away by sudden cardiac death.
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
