Jordan Banks: 'Never gets any easier' - 5 years since football-mad Lancashire boy was killed by lightning
Jordan Banks, a football-mad nine-year-old from Blackpool, tragically lost his life after being struck by lightning five years ago.
“Never gets any easier” - These were the words of bosses at a Lancashire youth football team as they reflected on the five year anniversary of the untimely passing of nine-year-old Jordan Banks.
Football-mad Jordan was attending a one to one coaching session on Common Edge playing fields in Blackpoool, when he was tragically hit by lightning on May 11, 2021 while playing the sport he loved.
Jordan, a Liverpool FC fan, was a keen footballer and a member of the Clifton Rangers Junior Football Club’s U9 Bees team.
Monday marked five years since the Stanley Primary School pupil’s passing.
A spokesman for Clifton Rangers Junior Football Club said on Facebook: “Never gets any easier. But what a legacy you have left Jord. A date that we will never forget Jord. The day you gained your angel wings.
“Our thoughts go out to all Jordan’s family, friends and anyone that got to meet this special boy. Keep flying high x.”
In 2021, the England football team joined numerous football clubs across the country in mourning the death of the popular nine-year-old.
Jordan had been praised by Liverpool vice-captain James Milner for his charitable efforts for Counselling in the Community earlier in 2021.
The amateur athlete ran 30 miles in memory of his uncle, Reece Begg, who took his own life in 2018, raising more than £2,300 for Blackpool-based mental health service Counselling in the Community.
Following his death a GoFundMe campaign was set up in his name and raised a massive £139,466 for his family.
In 2024, Marc Silver founder of MurWalls, created a mural on a wall off Seasiders Way, Blackpool, in Jordan’s memory.
The citation said: “In memory of Jordan Banks. In 9 short years he showed us how to live a whole life.”
The mural was unveiled by TV daredevil and extreme adventurer Jordan Wylie as the climax of triple challenge across Europe cycling a wooden bicycle, paddling a kayak made from recycled plastic bottles and running up to 3,000km all to raise money to pay for the special tribute.
Speaking shortly after Jordan’s death a spokesman for the Clifton Rangers Junior Football Club said: "Jordan was a shining light and an inspiration to everyone that he met. A strong, determined and courageous young man, who will be missed by everyone.
"The world has truly lost an extraordinary young man, who had done so much good in his community.
"We cannot begin to imagine the grief of the family. Our thoughts, prayers, love and hugs go out to them all and to his teammates, friends and coaches who are devastated by the loss.”
Hundreds of floral tributes, football shirts and cards were left on Common Edge playing fields in the days following the youngster’s death.
An inquest was held to establish what happened at Blackpool Town Hall on July 21, 2021.
Coroner Alan Wilson recorded a narrative conclusion, and said Jordan had died as a result of cardiac arrest following one lightning strike.