A hero big brother has spoken of how he had the strength to become mother and father to his disabled sibling after both their parents tragically died.
Luke Phillips was only 11 when he lost his mum to cancer two years ago.
Just a year later he was on the back of his dads motorbike when they crashed, killing his father.
It fell to his brother Nathan, then 18, to deliver the news when Luke woke up in hospital, that they were orphans now.
Nathan vowed to take on the role of mum and dad – as well as big brother – and do their parents proud.
Putting his own life to one side, he has become his little brothers official guardian, nursing him back to health while still grieving himself.
He got a better paid job, learned how to pay bills, do housework and look after them both by himself.
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Astonished friends and family set about raising £5,000 to help the pair out – and three months on from the horror crash the total sits at more than £11,000.
Nathan from Nuneaton said: I think it has taught me to make the most of every day, dont let little things upset you, and just enjoy the days as they come.
I dont want to be upset or angry about losing mum and dad. Ive got to focus on looking after Luke now. We respect each other a lot more I think. I have to do things like wake him up early for school but hes alright about it.
He still gets his moments where he says “I miss mum and dad” or “I wish dad was here” you know to give him a hug before bed.
But we do stuff together to make sure things work out.
The boys mum Anita Phillips died of cancer in 2016 aged 53 and just over a year later in July 2, 2018, David, 58, was killed when his motorcycle collided head-on with a lorry, on Purley Chase Lane, in Mancetter.
Luke was on the back of the bike and suffered life-changing injuries which led to the amputation of part of his foot. His dad died at the scene.
The schoolboy was in a coma at Birmingham Childrens Hospital, and when he came around and was stable Nathan had to tell him their dad hadnt made it.
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We had to keep telling him dad was OK when he was first in hospital. The doctors said if wed told him straight away hed have panicked and he wouldnt have been able to go into surgery.
His foot got stuck under the wheel of the lorry. He had to have half his big toe and all of his little toe amputated.
He lost a lot of the skin on his foot, he needed a skin graft from the top of his leg onto his foot.
Nathan had to keep his brothers spirits up until condition stabilised.
He said: It was pretty hard seeing him like that. The hardest thing was to tell him what happened to dad. When he was in A&E I had to keep telling him Dad was OK.
As soon as Nathan was stable enough, Luke swapped his pot wash job for a more formal job at Aldi, and he is currently in the process of redecorating their home in his spare time.
He said: I used to spend more time with my mates. Id be out in my car all the time or on my Xbox. I can still do those things now – but not so much.
Ive got the washing up, to do, the laundry, the shopping, making sure Lukes uniform and my work stuff is sorted. I sometimes feel as if I have been left to do everything by myself.
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Its nobodys fault, its just how the world is. It has just meant Ive had to mature a bit quicker.
To donate to help Nathan and Luke visit www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/nathanlukephillips.
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