Brave lad: The Starlight Foundation granted Talin's wish to see snow by creating a winter wonderland at Bear Cottage. Cassandra Hawkins thanked everyone who helped make Talin's dreams come true since his brain tumour diagnosis.
THE mother of Talin Hawkins has thanked the more than 20,000 people who followed his story on the Talin's Wish Facebook page.
Talin Hawkins's mother Cassandra Hawkins posted what she said would be her final update last Friday, and said it was fitting she would end her Facebook journey on July 13 - exactly 13 weeks after Talin, six, was diagnosed with a terminal brain tumour on April 13.
Ms Hawkins said she had shared Talin's life in the hope it had made a difference, and that "Talin's pain and difficulty hasn't been for nothing".
She said she hoped he had "fulfilled part of his purpose by being a catalyst to so many other people's growth, creating community awareness and of course helping to open hearts all around the world".
Ms Hawkins had previously told the Leader she was planning to shut down the page after she was "attacked" on various Facebook sites.
The cancer charity collecting funds raised on behalf of Talin's Wish, the Lynne King Cancer Care Foundation, said it was a reputable charity and all funds raised in excess of those needed to support Talin and his family would be used to help people in similar situations.
Ms Hawkins used her final Facebook update to thank everyone who had lent support to the fund-raising efforts and who had sent messages of support.
She also thanked others including the Leader, the site's organisers, Talin's school, Gymea Bay Public School, and his former preschool, The Boulevarde Preschool, for their support.
Ms Hawkins said the steroids that had been keeping Talin alive were withdrawn last week and pain medication increased.
"His speech is very slurred and slow, and his body is extremely tired, and tremors through the night," she said.
"He may live only days or weeks longer, we don't know, but he is requiring quiet and peace right now, so we will give him that and continue to love him, for all time, always."
He died peacefully in the early hours of this morning (Tuesday).