Latest news with #Finny
Times
10-07-2025
- General
- Times
A year without my son — I've finally opened his bedroom door
Saturday July 12 marks 365 days, one full year, since our gorgeous two-year-old, Finny, died after a nine-hour cavalcade of incompetence at the Whittington Hospital in north London. This past year has trundled along in a haze of misery. But somehow, we are still here. As the anniversary approached, my wife Liz and I found ourselves at odds with the received wisdom of fellow parents in our bereavement group. Among this community of kindly misfits, anniversaries are a big deal — the year's emotional epicentre. Someone is always near an anniversary of a death, a diagnosis or some other wretched milestone, counted down with foreboding weeks in advance. Birthdays, especially, once the apex of happiness, are now the most confusing of painful occasions. The strategy seems to be that anticipating the trauma will either diminish its impact or at least allow for proper preparation. There is nothing wrong with this approach, but we haven't found the idea of marking the anniversary helpful for our grief. We don't want to focus on the last, painful fractions of Finny's life over the joy that came before. Spending weeks dreading a date heaps suffering on to an already barely tolerable situation. I missed Finny neither more nor less yesterday than I will tomorrow. • I yearn for his cuddles and kisses — Christmas without our son Whatever the date, we are ambushed by memories. Finny is forever with us — tootling his little pink pram around the local shop (where he was a cheeky menace); having a disco tea party in the front room with his menagerie of teddies, plus Mummy and Daddy, of course. I can still recall the weight of him in my arms — his little head nestling in the crook of my neck. There's comfort in these memories, but there's also the business of surviving day to day. Pictures and videos are still almost entirely off-limits — his ready smile beaming through so brightly remains too raw. Damn inconveniently, I can't walk down the road round the corner where, after much coaching, I taught him his first words: 'tree' and 'car' (after 'Daddy', of course). Nor have I eaten a bowl of pasta since — Finny's favourite and, as it would transpire, his last meal. But you can't anticipate everything. Most recently, I watched Grand Designs revisit its first episode, seeing a baby born during construction in 1999 emerge today a happy twentysomething in a Dorset idyll, prompting spiralling thoughts about how Finny will never get to grow up. While many insist that 'the second year is the worst' — thanks for that — they are surely wrong. I don't expect year two to be a walk in the park, for memories to fade, love to be dimmed, or sadness to be quashed, but there is precisely zero chance that the awfulness of the first days and weeks after Finny's death will return. The unique horror of that day stands in isolation. After a family meal celebrating the start of the summer holidays, Finny woke up the next morning with a tummy ache. When Hey Duggee and a bath failed to work their magic, we took him to the GP, and still with no improvement, the paediatric A&E department at the Whittington Hospital in north London. What ensued was a nine-hour horror show encapsulating the NHS at its very worst. He was discharged in the early hours of the morning to return the next day, but when we awoke, he wasn't breathing. I desperately tried to resuscitate him, myriad paramedics arrived, but nothing could be done. If there is a secret to surviving thus far, it lies in one fundamental principle: never contemplate the long term. This approach has carried me through the initial abandonment by the Whittington in our deepest moments of need, past Finny's third birthday only a month later, and through our first bleak Christmas without him. Immediately after Finny died, my contemplation horizon was 30 minutes. For an entire summer, I zealously followed this mantra, desperately trying to fill days to accelerate time's passage. Any peering above the half-hour parapet toward the long term brought stomach-roiling horror, where life without Finny became unbearable to contemplate. These days, I'm less paranoid about the timeframe. I am able to think whole days ahead. But I'm still terrified of absent-mindedly thinking about years. The future remains mostly pointless, so best not contemplate it. Last month, testing all coping mechanisms to the brink, we endured the inquest into Finny's death, a double-edged disaster: you want accountability and answers, but the emotional cost is sky high. Hour after hour of stark medical testimony unfolded as the Whittington doctors who oversaw Finny's substandard care bumbled through events they hardly remembered, consulting notes they barely seemed to have read. • I sat through an inquest into my toddler's avoidable death The experience was, of course, singularly awful for us. The litany of mistakes and failures revealed in clinical black and white was heartbreaking: full observations never taken, inadequate staffing, communication between nurses and doctors near non-existent, required tests unavailable, anomalous blood test results ignored. You assume your doctors are competent; they minister in the NHS after all, our national secular religion. But this faith proved misplaced. Ultimately, Finny died from a twisted bowel, a rare but recognised natural cause of death. The coroner's verdict was recorded as a 'narrative conclusion', which simply records the facts of the case. She added that 'it is unclear whether different hospital care that night would have saved Finlay's life. It would have given him a chance.' Schools would be closed overnight by Ofsted were there an egregious breach of safety; it took 361 days to get a final response from the NHS regulator, the Care Quality Commission. As for the Whittington, we were earnestly told by one doctor that they have put up a poster addressing some of the issues we faced — so that's all fine. The coroner wrote a Prevention of Future Death (PFD) report, something that occurs in about 1 per cent of cases. This may sound like a win, but it isn't. The same coroner issued two PFD reports for similar failings at other north London hospitals in recent years. Yet there we were, and here we are. Without meaningful enforcement or central mechanisms to control and disperse new edicts correcting harrowing mistakes — something the airline industry excels at so, in principle, it is possible — you might be lucky enough to avoid these issues. But luck is all you have. Yet onwards we trudge. Writing articles and raising money on Finny's behalf has been therapeutically sustaining. We are so grateful to all the readers and donors who have responded so generously, and it's why I read all the comments, desperate to see people's reactions to how beautiful and sweet he was. It keeps our FinnBear alive, if only in people's minds, if only for a time. The arduous work of living continues, one manageable fragment of time at a time, missing Finny at every step, but continuing, nonetheless. We opened his bedroom door after 324 days. We barely venture in, but it's enough for the moment that we can peek inside. Today's anniversary will pass like any other day without Finny, which is to say, badly — not because the earth has orbited the sun once more, but simply because I achingly miss my little boy so very, very much. has been set up in memory of Finlay Roberts and contains a link to donate to the Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood (SUDC) charity A spokesperson for Whittington Health NHS Trust said: 'We offer our sincere condolences to Finlay's family. We have made changes and are planning further improvements around how we conduct and record observations. We are determined to learn from the heartbreaking events around Finlay's death.'
Daily Mirror
10-06-2025
- Daily Mirror
Horror moment before YouTuber 'shoots rival and wife dead' outside famous casino
WARNING - DISTRESSING CONTENT: The victims - thought to be YouTuber Finny Da Legend and his wife - were shot and killed on the Las Vegas Strip near the landmark Bellagio fountains on Sunday evening Shocking new footage is believed to show the moment a YouTuber allegedly shot a rival and his wife dead outside a world famous casino during a livestream. The victims were shot and killed on the Las Vegas Strip, not far from the landmark Bellagio fountains, late on Sunday at around 10.40pm. Authorities said the shooting was being investigated as an "isolated incident" between people who knew each other. It has since been claimed that YouTuber Finny Da Legend was one of the victims killed on the weekend, allegedly by rival YouTuber Manuel Ruiz after the pair had engaged in a year-long feud. Finny had more than 3,000 subscribers on YouTube and was actually streaming live when the alleged murder took place. It is also thought that his partner was killed too, as reported by KVVU-TV. "It is believed that the suspect and victims knew each other, and had previously engaged in conflict over social media prior to the shooting," the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) said. However, the Clark County Coroner's Office said it was not yet able to release the names of the victims. In new footage, a man who appears to be Finny is seen looking into the camera before turning away and off to the right just seconds before the horror unfolded. A woman, said to be his wife Bubbly, can be heard screaming. A man wearing a yellow and black top, baseball cap, and sunglasses - alleged to be Ruiz - appears in the frame. But Bubbly attempts to block Ruiz from reaching Finny. The gunman dodges her and fires off several shots while innocent bystanders run and duck for cover. Bubbly then appears to say: "Are you f**king kidding me?," before the camera is then thrown to the ground. At least seven more shots can be heard in the footage shared online. Another video from a passer-by showed a woman lying dead on the ground with a white sheet covering the lower half of her body. The incident happened on one of the busiest stretches of the Las Vegas Strip, visited by millions each year. The dancing Bellagio fountains, which soar up to 460 feet (140 metres) into the air, play every 30 minutes during the afternoon and then every 15 minutes between 8pm and midnight. Meanwhile, in an update released on Monday afternoon, police said Ruiz, 41, turned himself in at a Henderson Police Station and was taken into custody. He was booked into the Clark County Detention Center for two counts of open murder with a deadly weapon, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) confirmed. The police said in a statement: "Through the course of the investigation, detectives identified 41-year-old Manuel Ruiz as the suspect in this case. "On June 9, 2025, Ruiz walked into a Henderson Police Station and turned himself in. He was taken into custody and will be booked into the Clark County Detention Center for two counts of Open Murder with a Deadly Weapon."
Daily Mirror
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
YouTube star killed in Las Vegas strip shooting broadcast on live stream
YouTuber Finny Da Legend has died after being shot near an iconic hotel in Las Vegas. The YouTube star was killed alongside another person, believed to be Finny's partner, near the Bellagio hotel and casino on the Las Vegas strip on Sunday night. Finny had more than 3000 subscribers on YouTube and was actually streaming live when it happened. A man, another content creator, came up to him. Footage shared online showed that at least seven shots were fired. It is believed that alongside Finny, his partner was killed too, as reported by KVVU-TV. In the harrowing footage, Finny's partner could be heard screaming. They said: "Are you f**king kidding me?" and the camera was then thrown to the ground. Police had said that the shooter and one of the victims had argued on social media. Manuel Ruiz, 41, turned himself into police hours later, with the cops issuing a statement: "At this point, we believe we have the suspect identified and that this is an isolated incident, knowing that the suspect and the victim had previously engaged in some type of conflict using a variety of social media platforms."
Scottish Sun
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
YouTuber Finny Da Legend named as Las Vegas shooting victim killed on livestream after 2 shot dead near Bellagio casino
Cops revealed that the shooter and victim had an argument on social media VEGAS TRAGEDY YouTuber Finny Da Legend named as Las Vegas shooting victim killed on livestream after 2 shot dead near Bellagio casino Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A YOUTUBER has been named as a victim in a Las Vegas shooting that saw two people killed. Finny Da Legend was shot dead near the famous Bellagio hotel and casino on the Las Vegas strip on Sunday night. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 YouTuber Finny Da Legend was shot and killed in what police believe was a targeted killing Credit: YouTube / Finny Da Legend 2 Finny was killed outside Bellagio hotel and casino in Las Vegas Credit: KSNV Another victim, believed to be Finny's partner, was also killed in the shooting, as reported by the Fox affiliate KVVU-TV. Finny, who had more than 3,000 subscribers on YouTube, was live streaming when a man, another content creator, came up to him. At least seven shots were fired in footage shared online. Finny's partner could be heard screaming after the shots, yelling, "Are you f**king kidding me?" before the camera was thrown to the ground. Tributes have been paid to the content creator. Devastated pal Derek Ware described Finny as a "good father" and a "friendly guy." "If something was wrong, he would just always check up on me," he told KVVU-TV. "He's donated to people that needed help online." Ware revealed Finny's partner was known as Bubbly and paid tribute to her "infectious" personality. "She would have fun everywhere she went," he said. Cops revealed that the shooter and one of the victims had an argument on social media before the horror unfolded. Manuel Ruiz, 41, turned himself into police hours after shots were fired on the Las Vegas Strip. "At this point, we believe we have the suspect identified and that this is an isolated incident, knowing that the suspect and the victim had previously engaged in some type of conflict using a variety of social media platforms," cops said at the time. The Bellagio is a luxury five-star resort on the Strip and is known for the famous Fountains of Bellagio attraction. The shooting comes almost eight years after 60 people were killed when Stephen Paddock opened fire at a music festival on the Las Vegas Strip. He fired more than 1,000 rounds from his room on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel. More than 800 people were injured. More to follow... For the latest news on this story, keep checking back at The U.S. Sun, your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, sports news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures, and must-see videos. Like us on Facebook at TheSunUS and follow us on X at @TheUSSun
The Irish Sun
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
YouTuber Finny Da Legend named as Las Vegas shooting victim killed on livestream after 2 shot dead near Bellagio casino
A YOUTUBER has been named as a victim in a Las Vegas shooting that saw two people killed. Finny Da Legend was shot dead near the famous Bellagio hotel and casino on the Las Vegas strip on Sunday night. 2 YouTuber Finny Da Legend was shot and killed in what police believe was a targeted killing Credit: YouTube / Finny Da Legend 2 Finny was killed outside Bellagio hotel and casino in Las Vegas Credit: KSNV Another victim, believed to be Finny's partner, was also killed in the shooting, as reported by the Fox affiliate Finny, who had more than 3,000 subscribers on YouTube, was live streaming when a man, another content creator, came up to him. At least seven shots were fired in footage shared online. Finny's partner could be heard screaming after the shots, yelling, "Are you f**king kidding me?" before the camera was thrown to the ground. Tributes have been paid to the content creator. Devastated pal Derek Ware described Finny as a "good father" and a "friendly guy." "If something was wrong, he would just always check up on me," he told KVVU-TV. "He's donated to people that needed help online." Most read in The US Sun Ware revealed Finny's partner was known as Bubbly and paid tribute to her "infectious" personality. "She would have fun everywhere she went," he said. Cops revealed that the shooter and one of the victims had an argument on social media before the horror unfolded. Manuel Ruiz, 41, turned himself into police hours after shots were fired on the Las Vegas Strip. "At this point, we believe we have the suspect identified and that this is an isolated incident, knowing that the suspect and the victim had previously engaged in some type of conflict using a variety of social media platforms," cops said at the time. The Bellagio is a luxury five-star resort on the Strip and is known for the famous Fountains of Bellagio attraction. The shooting comes almost eight years after 60 people were killed when Stephen Paddock opened fire at a music festival on the Las Vegas Strip. He fired more than 1,000 rounds from his room on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel. More than 800 people were injured. Read more on the Irish Sun More to follow... For the latest news on this story, keep checking back at The U.S. Sun, your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, sports news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures, and must-see videos . Like us on Facebook at
