David Beckham pays a heartfelt tribute to ‘amazing’ fundraiser Kirsty Howard

Becks scored a last-gasp free-kick to clinch England’s place at the World Cup finals – and hailed Kirsty’s calmness for quelling his own nerves.

A fundraiser has died aged 20 – after she was given just weeks to live 16 years ago.

“Words can not describe how awesome this young lady has been over the years”, Beckham shared alongside a photo of two of them. “Love to her family”.

Her co-star, Antony Cotton added: “Just heard the news about Kirsty Howard, Manchester’s most precious daughter”.

Celebrity friends: Kirsty became a tireless fundraiser, raising more than £7.5 million for Francis House Children’s Hospital.

Kirsty was admitted to hospital on Tuesday suffering from a kidney infection.

A huge number of people paid tribute to Kirsty on social media…

“RIP kirstyhoward such an inspirational and very strong courageous young lady”.

Co-star Sally Dynevor, the Street’s Sally Webster, said: “So incredibly sad to hear the news about lovely Kirsty Howard”. “It was a privilege to have known her”.

Launched by children’s hospice Francis House, the page has been set up with the aim of continuing the incredible work the 20-year-old achieved in the years and months before her untimely death.

Born in Manchester, she had an exceptionally rare condition, in which her heart was back to front, causing the misplacement of her internal organs.

Kirsty became the face of the charity appeal for Francis House Hospice, originally opened by Diana, Princess of Wales in 1991.

She also met PM David Cameron in 2009, but despite her pleas Francis House still has to raise nearly all its £3.6 million a year running costs through charity.

She joined her hero as she led the England team out as their mascot for the match at Old Trafford with a 42lb oxygen cylinder behind her.

She received the Child of Courage Award and in 2002, the Pride of Britain Award.

In 2007, she was named Young Citizen of the Year by Manchester City Council.

“We can not express enough our humble thanks and gratitude to an incredible young woman”. “Hundreds owe a tremendous debt to the young lady who made Francis House a household name”.

Despite struggling along with her brand bravery, she suffered a cardiac arrest on Thursday and was used in the intensive care model at Manchester Royal Infirmary.