‘It made me cry. I felt so proud of him for thinking just of his dad and wanting him better'
Ronnie Harris’ has written to Santa saying he’d be ‘the happiest boy in the world’ if his father, Russell Harris, 32 could be made better.
Proud mum, Emma Harris, 31, was overcome with emotion when she found the note under her son’s bed.
‘I was just cleaning Ronnie’s bedroom when I found it shoved under his bed. I was very touched.
‘It was heart-wrenching to think that a child of his age doesn’t want anything for himself for Christmas,’ said Emma.
The mum-of-two – who looks after her husband at home while he fights for his life – added: ‘It made me cry. I felt so proud of him for thinking just of his dad and wanting him better.’
Emma has known Russell since they were three years old – having grown up in the same neighbourhood in Ipswich, Suffolk.
‘Ronnie does stuff 10 year olds shouldn’t have to do, like making his brother’s breakfast and learning to cook’
After courting throughout their teenage years, the couple got married in August 2010 and have two sons: Ronnie, 10 and Lennie, 6.
But the family suffered a huge blow eight years ago when Russell was diagnosed with a brain tumour - which is now classed as grade four severity – meaning he is critically ill and must take each day as it comes.
‘The boys have good days and bad days,’ said Emma.
About her eldest son, she added: ‘Ronnie does stuff 10 year olds shouldn’t have to do, like making his brother’s breakfast and learning to cook.’
Emma said Ronnie had recently got upset when his school finished runners-up in a table tennis competition because he so badly wanted to win for his dad.
‘Ronnie has dealt so maturely with his dad’s illness.’
‘He’s called an ambulance when Russell has been very unwell and learned new skills to help around the house,’ said Emma.
‘Ronnie’s even taking the cooking class in school so that he can cook his dad’s dinner.’