By Esther Lauaki
Point Cook has lost a young “superhero”.
Josh Erikson, 18, died in the early hours of Mother’s Day (May 12) after a long battle with glioblastoma multiforme – brain cancer.
Tributes have flowed over the past week describing Josh as an “incredible human being”, kind, memorable and brave.
The teen and his family had experienced a tougher life than many.
Josh, who was born profoundly deaf, was diagnosed with leukaemia in 2005 and beat it after a bone marrow transplant from his eldest brother.
He remained cancer free for years, but in 2016 he was diagnosed with a GM tumour, for which there is no cure.
Josh’s mother, Donna Erikson-Rigby, said her heart had been “shattered into a million pieces”.
“As his Mumma and best friend I am so incredibly proud of the strength and courage he has shown the last 18 years,” Ms Erikson-Rigby said in a post to the Mr Braveheart-Team Josh Facebook page.
“He had defied the odds so many times.
“He has inspired so many people all over the world. Joshy would walk into a room and not remember people’s names but one thing’s for sure is that everyone in that room would remember him.”
As a tribute to Josh’s love for Marvel comics, friends and family formed a guard of honour at his funeral last Thursday in Williamstown dressed as his favourite characters.
Members of the Point Cook Rocks Facebook group have put out a call for anyone who would like to paint rocks with Marvel characters to decorate Josh’s memorial garden.
Decorated rocks, in the Marvel or rainbow theme or with the words Team Josh or Braveheart, can be dropped in at the Stockland Customer Care Centre in Point Cook town centre until May 24.
