'Sleep tight our beautiful little boy': Charlie Gard dies

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Charlie Gard, the 11-month-old boy who suffered from a rare genetic condition, passed away on Friday, just a week before his first birthday on August 4, his family announced.

“Our beautiful little boy has gone, we’re so proud of him,” Connie Yates and Chris Gard wrote in a statement.

The British boy made headlines as he was in the middle of a bitter legal battle between his parents who wanted to take him to the US for an experimental treatment and the doctors at London’s Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, where he was hospitalized, who opposed the idea.

CGTN Photo

Charlie was diagnosed with mitochondrial DNA depletion syndrome, an incurable genetic condition that caused progressive brain damage and muscle failure, eight weeks after he was born. He was unable to breath on his own and was hooked to life support.

His story and the fight his parents were putting up touched the hearts of many around the world, including politicians and Pope Francis, with some supporters forming "Charlie's Army" and campaigning for his transfer to the US.

They raised 1.35 million pounds but the hospital stated it was not in the best interest of Charlie to be sent there. The medical opinion was supported by judges from the High Court, Supreme Court and the European Court.

CFP Photo

The US President Donald Trump had previously offered his support taking to Twitter to say, "If we can help little #CharlieGard, as per our friends in the U.K. and the Pope, we would be delighted to do so."

On Monday, Charlie's parents gave up their five-month-long fight to take the boy to the US after doctors there said his condition had deteriorated and the damage was irreversible.

The infant's death on Friday cast a dark cloud over social media on Friday, with heartfelt condolences pouring out to his parents on Twitter, including from the UK Prime Minister Theresa May, Pope Francis and other world leaders.

Screenshot of Pope Francis's tweet

Screenshot of US Vice President Mike Pence's tweet

"To Charlie, we say, mummy and daddy, we love you so much, we always have and we always will and we are so sorry that we couldn't save you,” the parents wrote. “We had the chance but we weren't allowed to give you that chance. Sweet dreams baby. Sleep tight our beautiful little boy."