BBC News, Manchester

The circle of relatives of former Rochdale footballer Joe Thompson have mentioned they have been “overwhelmed” by way of hundreds of messages after his dying from folks whose lives he had touched.
Thompson, 36, who were recognized with lymphoma thrice in 12 years, died on 17 April after it unfold to his lungs.
He had two times recovered from the illness, a type of blood most cancers, right through his taking part in profession.
His spouse Chantelle mentioned she and their 12-year-old daughter Thailula had spent as a lot time as conceivable with him to prioritise “creating memories”.
Together they instructed BBC Radio Manchester that Thompson’s struggles with the illness had introduced them nearer as a circle of relatives through the years, and “made us view life differently”.
Thailula mentioned: “You think ‘oh shoot, life is short’, you’ve got to spend as much time as we can together.
She said: “If Dad wasn’t recognized with most cancers, perhaps that shouldn’t have introduced us in combination as a circle of relatives up to it did.”

The midfielder, originally from Bath, started his footballing career with Rochdale after coming through Manchester United’s academy system.
He finished his career in Rochdale after a third stint there five years before his death, having also played for Tranmere Rovers, Carlisle United, Southport and Bury.
Chantelle said the public response to his death, both from within the football world and beyond, had been “fantastic”.
“I feel it actually is helping, particularly in the ones first few days,” she mentioned.
“Just studying folks’s little tales and little recollections that they’ve of Joe or even attaining out and telling the tales of items that we did not even know, how he helped and the way he supported folks.
“When I say hundreds, I mean thousands of messages, a lot of them are talking about how he’s helped them in some way.
“It’s reasonably overwhelming to assume what number of people he is touched over a brief duration.”

Thailula spoke of how her dad always tried to help other people, and said he “impacted such a lot of folks in that little while”.
She mentioned: “I think like he would fairly had a brief lifestyles however impacted extra folks than have a longevity and impacted fewer folks that make sense.
“I am very proud of him.”
After placing up his boots, Thompson labored within the media as a pundit in addition to mentoring and showing as a motivational speaker.
In October 2024, after his 3rd analysis, he took phase in a 21-mile fundraising stroll to boost consciousness of most cancers remedies.
About 300 folks took phase within the adventure, from Manchester United’s Old Trafford stadium to Rochdale’s Crown Oil Arena flooring.
Chantelle published that Joe had saved journals “full of ideas” about charity paintings and plans for the longer term.
“We’ve got pages and pages full of his ideas, his wishes his things that he wanted to accomplish,” she mentioned.
“We’d love to continue and carry on his legacy.”