Alfie Evans’ dad Tom releases pic of ill son with eyes open with heartbreaking plea as court rules life support will be switched off
Tom Evans shared the picture of the stricken tot and said it was a sign that his son was "fighting - not dying "
ALFIE Evans' dad has revealed a moving photo of his son with his eyes open after the stricken tot’s family's bid to move Alfie to Rome for medical treatment was blocked.
Tom Evans said the snap was proof that 23-month-old Alfie was “fighting – not dying”.
The picture showed the toddler in teddy bear pyjamas, with tubes coming out of his nose, as he lay on a hospital bed.
Tom, 21, shared the photo on Facebook after a bid to move Alfie to Rome for medical treatment was blocked.
The devastated dad wrote: “Just came into Alfie after my interview and this is what he is telling the world the judges the drs the trolls - he’s fighting not dying, he’s undiagnosed not terminal, HE HAS NOT GOT MITOCHONDRIAL.
"Alfie has not yet Woke up this is just after a very small seizure he tried his best to stay awake but after a couple of minutes and a couple of very tired kid flickers he went back of to sleep.
"We fight Alf just like you, whenever you show us your done we will stop Alf but while you continue to lead us through the storm we will hold your hand all the way through it."
Supporters of the 23-month-old rallied outside Alder Hey Children's Hospital today yelling: "get him out" after a bid to transfer Alfie to Rome for medical treatment was blocked.
As members of 'Alfie's Army' chanted outside the Liverpool hospital, Tom wrote on Facebook: "Transferring our stable son MAY be a risk???
"THEY SAY I NEED TO FACE REALITY!!
"I've been living through it for 15 months.
"Me and Kate accept our son is going to die but when we don't no, so it's only our responsibility to let him outlive his remainder with as much dignity love and defection as possible.
"It's not over!!!!"
Tom's friend Liam Sorrell, 26, said: "It's not a good decision. We were hopeful that he would have been able to fly this week.
"The next step is going back to the courts.
"We have got to keep on fighting for him, Alfie is fighting so we have to.
"I've been in the room with Alfie and he opens his eyes and looks at you."
Diane Lea, 61, said: “I think the whole country is saying the same thing – what is the harm in letting him go to Italy?
“We want to let Tom and Kate know that we support them, it should be their decision.
“Everyone has put themselves in Tom and Kate’s position and think what would they do if it was their child?
“We’re not going anywhere. We’re going to keep coming back until they let him go.”
'Alfie's Army' supporter, Tracy Hale, 51, told how her daughter Charlotte, 26, is now thriving despite doctors at a different hospital recommending her ventilation machine be turned off after being born premature.
Pledging her support for the 23-month-old she said: “She was diagnosed with cerebral palsy in Hungary.
“She can’t speak and has to use a computer but she’s just finished a law degree.
“They said ‘put her down’ and turn her machine off and they’re trying to do the same to Alfie.
“They should let the parents choose.”
Earlier today Alfie's distraught parents have been dealt the devastating blow his life support will be switched off as top judges rejected their appeal.
The Court of Appeal agreed with Alder Hey specialists that the terminally ill tot "could not be saved" and that it would be "unkind"; and "futile" to continue treatment.
Alfie's parents Tom Evans, 21, and Kate James, 20, were fighting to take their son to a hospital in Rome and said they have a private jet and ambulance on standby.
They have already lost a challenge at the Court of Appeal and failed to have the decision overturned at the Supreme Court and European Court of Human Rights.
But the defiant parents mounted a new legal bid at the Court of Appeal as supporters flocked to Alder Hey in Liverpool to back them.
Their lawyer Paul Diamond has now said he will apply to the Supreme Court for permission to appeal the decision by 4pm tomorrow.
Alfie, born on May 9, 2016, is in a "semi-vegetative state" and has a degenerative neurological condition doctors have not definitively diagnosed.
Lord Justice Davis, who is heading the three-strong panel of appeal judges, told lawyers that at the start of the hearing today that doctors had agreed that there was "no hope".
He said: "We cannot have a kind of legal 'Groundhog Day' where you come back again and again and again on the same point."
The court was also read a statement from Lord Justice Hayden’s previous ruling where he said: "The terrible reality was that almost the entirety of Alfie’s brain has been eroded, leaving only water and cerebral spinal fluid.
“Treatment is futile as experts both here and abroad agree. Alfie will never make any developmental progress."
Lord Justice Moylan said in cases such as Alfie's, the child is represented by an independent guardian.
Alfie's guardian has agreed with Alder Hey that withdrawing ventilation is in his best interests but his parents say "the state" is wrongly interfering with their parental choice.
Lord Justice Moylan said he was "dismayed" by what has been happening at Alder Hey after the hospital pleaded with "Alfie's Army" protesters not to disturb staff and patients.
He said: "These matters have not been the subject of any court determination however if true they are alarming.
“We are told that some members of hospital of staff could not get to the hospital because of road blockage and that some staff and family members in the hospital could not gain entry.
“They said that some of the supporters had entered the paediatric intensive care ward.”
Staff claim noise from around 100 protesters has impacted on patients despite "Alfie's Army" urging supporters to be "respectful" to the hospital.
Alder Hey said in a statement: "Noise from recent protests has unfortunately affected our patients so we would ask that noise levels outside the hospital are kept to a minimum and, for example, car horns are not sounded.
"Loud noise affects sleep and raises anxiety levels for our patients especially when recovering from procedures, so please bear them in mind."
The hospital added it had beefed up security but said it "remains fully operational" with A&E open for emergency care.
A second appeal judge, Lady Justice King, said doctors' unanimous opinion was that Alfie "could not be saved".
In February, Mr Justice Hayden ruled that doctors at Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool could stop treating Alfie against the wishes of his parents.
Specialists at Alder Hey said life-support treatment should stop and claim it would be "unkind" and "futile" to continue treatment.
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