HE HAD promised his dad he would always try his best. Taylor Prescott, 11, kept his promise in front of thousands of mourners gathering to pay tribute to his dad, Hull FC rugby legend Steve Prescott.
Steve died on November 9 after a courageous seven-year fight with a rare form of stomach cancer. He was 39. Although he made his name as a rugby player, Steve Prescott's name became synonymous with incredible feats of courage as he battled his illness.
Taylor, who attended the funeral with his mum Linzi and little brother Koby, seven, left his seat to pay an emotional tribute to his dad.
Standing before the congregation in the packed church, Taylor said: "I just wanted to say a few words about how proud I am of what my dad has achieved. I have got lots of great memories of the times that we have had together and I will remember them forever.
"When I was five and my dad first became ill, I made him a promise to always do my best and to follow my dream of being a sportsman. I hope I make him as proud of me as I am of him. Me and Koby will miss him but we will love him forever."
As Taylor returned to be comforted by his family, spontaneous applause broke out inside and outside the church as they supported the little boy grieving for his father. Applause, too, had greeted the arrival of the hearse, from the fans, many wearing scarves and rugby tops, for the funeral in St Helens.
The church bells rang out Abide With Me as more than 1,000 people packed St Mary's Church, with more than 1,000 also gathered outside. Hull FC favourites Paul Cooke, Richard Horne and Shaun Briscoe were among those at the Requiem Mass.
During the service, Mike Denning, chairman of the Steve Prescott Foundation, described Steve as a great person who wore his heart on his sleeve. He said there were three strands to his lifelong friend: Steve Prescott as the family man; as the rugby player, friend and joker; and finally as an MBE, fundraiser, fighter and hero.
He paid tribute to the "normal guy" Steve was and gave mourners a flavour of his early life growing up in St Helens, through to his playing career and finally his epic charity challenges, as well as his love for his family.
He said: "He married Linzi, the love of his life, soulmate and rock throughout. He might not have said it openly, but his love for Linzi, not just after he got ill but in his playing days, was immense."
And telling those gathered how proud Steve was of his children, Mike turned and addressed Taylor and Koby and said: "You know how proud he was of the pair of you. You will be a credit to him."
He spoke of the devastation of Steve's diagnosis and how his fighting spirit led him to have seven further years with his family. Mike said: "He fought and fought every day of his life."
He told mourners of his charity challenges and how, typically of Steve, he wanted to give something back after his diagnosis.
"He set up the Steve Prescott Foundation and it has been great to have Steve alongside us," he said. "He came up with these ideas and we said 'Are you sure you want to do that?'
"He would never ask anyone to do anything he didn't and he was immense in all his challenges but what you didn't appreciate was how much pain he was in. Even to his close friends, he shielded it. But that was the measure of the man."
Paying his final tribute, Mike said: "We say goodbye but we won't say farewell. Steve was a close friend, a good man and an all-round good person.
"Thank you for 39 years. You leave hope and inspiration. We will make sure your name will go on and on and on and we will let everyone know you are truly one in a million."
As Steve's coffin was carried from the church, the bells began chiming with When The Saints Go Marching In, as a tribute to his playing days at St Helens. His coffin was followed out by his family. Holding their hands, mum Linzi kissed Koby and Taylor on their heads as they prepared to accompany their dad on his final journey.
• Gallery: Funeral of Steve Prescott
