A TEENAGER from Taunton who underwent pioneering surgery earlier this year to treat his brain tumour, has died.

James Willetts, 18, passed away at 7.15pm on Wednesday September 9, following a year long battle with cancer.

James, a former Taunton School pupil was diagnosed with Glioblastoma in January 2014.

Earlier this year he had a titanium port bolted to his skull to deliver drugs directly to the tumour after he failed to respond to conventional chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

But in June, James and his family were told that the tumour was spreading and that there was very little that could be done.

His father, Simon Willetts, has paid tribute to his remarkable son.

“We needed a miracle,” he said.

“We just kept getting knocked back, we were considering anything, all these wacky treatments.

“There was no crying from James when they told us, no why me, no real fear or emotion.

“He took it in his stride, it was almost like he knew it was meant to be, he just said, ‘That’s a bummer,’ and moved on.”

James spent all of his time at home with his family, and latterly with support from St Margaret’s Hospice and Marie Curie.

The support they provided us was fantastic, it enabled us to look after James at home, in those final months you just want to cherish every minute and personally ensure he is loved and pain free,” Simon added.

James took his last breaths surrounded by his parents, Simon and Carolyn, his brother and sister Cameron and Madison and his cousin Jacob.

Simon said: “I could have been out that night, I had somewhere to be, but something told me to stay home.

“You don’t really want to be there when someone dies as nothing prepares you for it, but you can’t not be.

“It’s not something many of us experience and it was a privilege.

“Although his condition had deteriorated, he couldn’t communicate in the last few weeks except with the flicker of his eyes, he wasn’t in pain.

“He was still the beating heart of the family, he knew we were there and I am certain that he could hear us.

“I sensed he was quite a spiritual person, people used to say he was a deep thinker, he was never one for wanting to be the centre of attention, he just used to quietly absorb everything around him, he was an old soul and he had an inner wisdom.

“He knew that life was so much more than someone winning and someone loosing, he knew what was coming and could handle it.”

James’ funeral and the wake will be held at Taunton School at 2pm on Thursday, September 24.

Simon said he wants the day to be a celebration of his son’s life and thanks everyone for the energy and support over the last 18 months.

The family has asked for donations and not flowers to further his wish for more specific research into paediatric brain tumours, cheques to ‘The Brain Tumour Charity’ writing James Willetts fund on the reverse and sent c/o E. White and son Funeral Directors 138-139 East Street.

Contact Brain Tumour Charity and donate to the ‘James Willetts Fund’ on 01252-749043.