Former Snooker champion Willie Thorne 66, has passed away in Spain after being placed in an induced coma. Thorne had announced he was battling leukaemia earlier this year, was hospitalised last week with low blood pressure.
This announcement was made on his GoFundME page, which was used to help pay for his treatment, raising more than 21,000 euro.
In a statement, Thorne’s carer Julie O’Neill announced that “with a very heavy and broken heart” that he died in the early hours this morning.
“Willie went into septic shock and was not responding to any treatment so the decision was made by the hospital to turn off the machines,” she said. “I was with him all the way to his end and reading out messages to him from people.”
O’Neill said that Thorne passed away peacefully comforted by his children. She also thanked the numerous supporters who donated for his treatment, while informing them that the money will now help pay for his funeral.
Ms O’Neill thanked supporters who had donated for his care, saying the money would now help pay for his funeral.
World Snooker was among the first organisations to share its condolences. “We are deeply saddened to hear that the Great WT himself, Willie Thorne, has passed away at the age of 66. It’s a great loss to our sport. Our thoughts are with his family at this sad time. RIP Willie.”
We are deeply saddened to hear that the Great WT himself, Willie Thorne, has passed away at the age of 66. It’s a great loss to our sport.
Our thoughts are with his family at this sad time.
Thorne reached his peak in snooker in the early Eighties, winning one ranking title, the Mercantile Classic, and reaching the World Championships quarter-finals twice.
Former England and Tottenham Hotspur striker Gary Lineker, a friend of Thorne’s tweeted: “Deeply, deeply saddened to hear that my friend Willie Thorne has passed away. One of life’s great characters. A marvellous snooker player and a lovely man, who’s potted his final black much too soon. RIP Willie.”
Deeply, deeply saddened to hear that my friend Willie Thorne has passed away. One of life’s great characters. A marvellous snooker player and a lovely man, who’s potted his final black much too soon. RIP Willie.
