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Ex-England youth star dies aged 23 following battle with cancer weeks after proposal to girlfriend
Published 14:18 16 Sept 2023 BST
Updated 14:18 16 Sept 2023 BST
Homesport
'My heart will never, ever heal from this hole you've left'
Ex-England youth footballer Ben Cull has died aged 23.
The former Southampton academy player had been battling Ewing's sarcoma since 17 and had only recently proposed to his long-time girlfriend, Daisy Morrison, who announced his passing in a heartbreaking Instagram post.
She wrote: "The hardest goodbye. Yesterday I lost my whole life, my fiance, my soulmate, my person, my entire world. I always hoped and prayed this day would never, ever come."
Daisy said her heart "physically hurts" and that she had "never felt pain like this."
"My mum and dad couldn't of picked a better soulmate for me, they adored you, they think of you as a son and are hurting so bad right now," her statement continued.
"They say you go for someone like your father and god you were like dad, two peas in a pod, the best of friends, couldn't of wished for a stronger bromance.
"You fought until the very end my darling, I know you did absolutely everything you could to stay and despite suffering so bad you kept going, that I will be forever grateful for, you never gave up, god just had his own plans."
Daisy said the couple "made the most of every single second."
"You and I both said we'd rather of met our soulmate and had less time, than lived a whole lifetime without each other," she wrote.
"You were the reason I smiled every day, my reason to wake up, you were the first person I'd turn to with a problem.
"The person I felt safe next to every night, the person who made a whole room laugh, you were my reason for it all, you gave me a purpose.
"The only person I want to speak to right now is you and I can't do that which breaks me.
"You've told me so many times to be brave for you and never give up and I promise I am going to try."
Daisy said she already missed her husband-to-be and will do "every single second of every day my darling bow, the cuddles, the kisses, the laughs, messages and everything.
"My heart will never, ever heal from this hole you've left. To let you go will always be the toughest thing I'll ever have to do.
"Good night baby, I will see you up there one day, we will be reunited again my darling and finish out story as it isn't over yet."
Southampton FC shared the news on X, formerly Twitter, and wrote: "Everyone connected with #SaintsFC is devastated to hear the news of the tragic passing of Ben Cull.
"The thoughts of everyone at the club are with Ben’s family, friends and his partner Daisy at this extremely difficult time."
Ben earned two caps for England's Youth team.
His cancer battle cut short what seemed to be a promising career in 2018.
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