A mum who was once warned by doctors that her newborn baby "would not live to see three weeks" has paid tribute to her "loving, happy" son who defied all the odds.
Barend James Cox, affectionately nicknamed "BJ the DJ" due to his love of music and singing, died aged 33 on Wednesday, April 19, from complications caused by brain damage sustained at birth.
His mum Ronel, 56, said: "BJ was always loving, always happy, always loved his music. First thing in the morning, as soon as you opened the door, there would be music full blast. His favourites were Johnny Cash and The Beatles. Anything all the way from the 50s until now - although he thought the latest music was not as good as the old ones.
READ MORE: Day hundreds of teenagers caused 'pandemonium' on Liverpool street
"Angels by Robbie Williams was one of his favourite songs to sing, and Amazing Grace.
"Him and his dad always got up to mischief. When we lived in South Africa we had quite a big garden, and my husband would put him on his lap and they'd drive around the garden. Obviously dad was in control, but he didn't know that! He was a real speed freak."
BJ, who lived in Rock Ferry, was born in Pretoria, the capital of South Africa. But the hot African summers caused his health to suffer, and so he moved to Merseyside with his mum and dad, Clifford, when he was five years old.
Ronel said: "He was born with hydrocephalus (water on the brain). We only found out a day after his birth. At the time they told us he's not going to see three weeks, you've got to plan his funeral. I said 'nothing is impossible. We'll prove everyone wrong'. And we did.
"We've lived all our lives knowing he could go at any time.
"Physically, he was in a wheelchair all his life. His mental capacity was sometimes like a five-year-old, but sometimes he could act like a 50-year-old. He loved to sing, swim. He was very creative."
Tragically, BJ suffered a stroke earlier this year, which caused him to lose most of his mobility. The week before he died, his health took a sudden turn for the worse, and he was taken to Arrowe Park Hospital.
Ronel said: "His body couldn't keep its temperature up, so he went into hospital. They sent him home because there was nothing they could do, but it was not even 24 hours before he went back in. He could still speak until Tuesday (April 18), and that's when he went into a coma, and we were called in, and he went steadily downhill from there.
"I'm just numb. I'm just going through the motions, all the things I need to cancel on his behalf. It's so surreal."
BJ's funeral will take place at the Landican Cemetery and Crematorium in Woodchurch at 1pm on May 17. Anyone who knew him is invited to attend, with donations to Wirral Wings, a charity which supports bereaved parents, being accepted in place of flowers.
Ronel said: "We won't wear black. It will be all colourful to celebrate his life. The way I see it, he's moved on. His body may not be here, but his soul is in a good place."
READ NEXT
Moment gang's 'mistake' linked them to £500,000 cash machine raids
New Emergency Alert test to sound today but not all will get it
Calls for cameras in jail cells so cowardly killers like Thomas Cashman can't hide
Hooters could be forced to make major change after planning appeal dismissed
