An 18-year-old teenager who died from melanoma skin cancer asked for his ashes to be scattered at Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium memorial garden—a final wish his family is now fighting to fulfill.
Rhys Russell, from Cornwall, was diagnosed with melanoma on his scalp in November 2021. He passed away in March this year. His condition went undetected for a long time, partly because the cancer was hidden beneath his thick, curly hair.
Just minutes before his death, Rhys watched a video of his meeting with Manchester City football star Jack Grealish—an emotional moment for the devoted fan. As his final wish, he asked for his ashes to be laid to rest at the club’s memorial garden, a place he visited during a match in October 2023 when City beat Brighton 2-1.
To honor this wish, his family launched a GoFundMe campaign. With limited financial resources, they are hoping to raise enough to travel to Manchester. “Because there are five of us, and we would be traveling to Manchester and staying and everything, we haven’t got the money to do it, especially after paying for the funeral,” said Rhys’ father, Oli Russell, 38, who is training to become a nurse. Rhys’ mother, Lauren, 37, is a community nurse.
Rhys’ parents described the moment they discovered something was wrong. Oli recalled, “He went to get in the shower, and we noticed a red patch on his head. It looked like a tick.” When they asked Rhys about it, he admitted it sometimes bled but said it didn’t hurt, so he hadn’t thought it serious. That visit to the doctor marked the beginning of his cancer journey.
Lauren emphasized how difficult the melanoma was to spot. “He had quite thick curly hair, and it just looked like a mole. If it hadn’t bled, we wouldn’t have known for who knows how long.”
Rhys showed courage even as his condition worsened. His parents had to give him the heartbreaking news that his time was limited. Oli said, “He was quite pragmatic. He told us, ‘I want to be cremated and I want my ashes scattered at the memorial garden at Man City.’ We said we would make it happen.”
Melanoma is the fifth most common cancer in the UK, with around 17,500 new cases diagnosed each year. Rhys’ parents are now calling for more awareness of this disease, especially in areas like the scalp, where signs can be easily missed.
The GoFundMe campaign aims to raise enough for the family to travel and grant Rhys the goodbye he deserves—at the club he loved, in the place he chose.
