A park turned purple yesterday evening as mourners paid tribute to “beautiful” Archie Battersbee.
The 12-year-old’s family hosted a vigil in his honour at Priory Park to allow supporters to pay their own tributes.
People set off eco-friendly balloons into the air and attached purple ribbons to trees in memory of the former Earls Hall Primary and Chase High School pupil.
Archie’s mum, Hollie Dance, hoped today's vigil would allow supporters the chance to pay their own respects to Archie.
She had told the Echo: “We hope to see Archie’s army there out in force to remember my beautiful boy.
“People can create purple hearts using card and hang them on trees using ribbons with their personalised messages and tributes to Archie.
“They can let off balloons but they must be eco-friendly because of the wildlife. Archie was all about saving wildlife; he wouldn’t want to see harm to any animals.
“There will also be a prayer and a sing song for him too.”
Hollie says plans are being made for Archie’s funeral and hopes a date will be confirmed soon.
He had been in a coma for nearly four months before his life-support was switched off last Saturday.
His parents, Ms Dance and Paul Battersbee, had fought a long-running legal battle over the withdrawal of treatment.
Archie Battersbee’s mother announced her son’s death last weekend and said “he fought right until the very end”.
Archie had been in a coma since he was found unconscious at his home in Southend on April 7.
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