Charlie Gard, the 11-month-old terminally ill British baby passed away on July 28, 2017. He became international news during his parents’ fight to keep him on life support.

After his passing, Gard’s mom, Connie Yates, lamented his death in a statement, according to BBC News. She said:

Our beautiful little boy has gone, we are so proud of you Charlie.

Vice President, Mike Pence expressed his sadness over Gard’s death on Twitter.

Final Timeline for Charlie Gard’s Ultimate Death

• July 24: Chris Gard and Yates dropped their legal battle the doctor told them that it was too late for the infant.
• July 27: the family and hospital were given a deadline to make a decision about the timeline for the young child to be removed from life support.

After dropping their case, the parents expressed the sadness of the decision:

Mummy and Daddy love you so much Charlie, we always have and we always will and we are so sorry that we couldn’t save you.

We had the chance but we weren’t allowed to give you that chance. Sweet dreams baby. Sleep tight our beautiful little boy.

Their story hit the news after the British courts determined that Gard would not be allowed to be taken to the U.S. for experimental treatment. The battle began when Great Ormond Street Hospital administrators told his parents they would not agree to the transfer.

President Donald Trump and Pope Francis took to social media in support of the Gard family’s plight. Trump even Tweeted that he would welcome the baby and his parents to the U.S. to offer whatever medical support the little boy needed.

Baby Gard suffered from mitochondrial DNA depletion syndrome, commonly referred to as MDA. The condition reduces the ability of affected organs to receive the caloric energy needed to work properly. This eventually causes the patient to be unable to survive without the aid of machines to keep them alive.

Medical professionals explain the rarity of MDA, by stating that the baby was the among the 16 known cases of the syndrome.

While it is sad when any person passes away, it is even harder to lose a baby. The Public Slate editorial staff and writers offer condolences to the parents of Charlie Gard.

Written by Cathy Milne

Sources:

BBC News: Charlie Gard parents announce death of ‘beautiful boy’
The Sun: What is mitochondrial DNA depletion syndrome and just how rare is Charlie Gard’s deadly condition?

Featured and Top image Courtesy of Dennis Skley’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License