The mum and dad of the 97th Hillsborough victim have told of their pride after he was awarded the Freedom of Liverpool.
Andrew Devine, 55, died in July, more than 32 years after he suffered serious injuries at the 1989 FA Cup semi-final in Sheffield.
He was posthumously awarded the Freedom of Liverpool at a meeting of Liverpool City Council yesterday. Andrew’s father Stanley said he felt “proud” to see his son get the honour.
His mother Hilary added: “It’s an honour from this city. For us it means he is remembered and that is what makes it important to us.”
The couple, from Mossley Hill, Liverpool, said Andrew was still talked about every day.
They said they travelled to Sheffield on April 15, 1989 after a Merseyside Police colleague of Stanley’s knocked on their door to tell them their son, 22, had been injured.
Andrew was in hospital for almost four years and needed 24-hour care before he came home. Club stars Emlyn Hughes and Craig Johnston visited and offered to take laundry.
Mr Devine said: “[The doctors] did say three months was the most for him, well he managed 32 years so I don’t think we did too bad.”
Andrew’s name will join the 96 other victims awarded the freedom of the city in September 2016.
Jimmy McGovern, who wrote TV drama Hillsborough, was also nominated. He said it was “truly humbling”.
