A crowd holding tender signs gathered at the band’s bandstand in Priory Park in Archie’s home town of Southend, Essex, on Sunday. Cards and purple balloons – many that were later released into the sky – had messages written on them and were hung from a pine tree. The messages included “a mother’s love”, with a picture of Archie and his mother Hollie Dance. Children were present and played with bubbles and an attendee lit a purple flare as a mark of respect. Ms. Dance addressed the crowd to thank them. “Thank you so much for supporting us while we were in this awful place,” he said. “I hope you all stand with me in trying to change this law, Archie Army, so no more of our children and their parents go through this.” Read more: A mother’s fight for her son – the Archie Battersbee case Archie’s mother spoke to reporters earlier in the evening, describing the last few months as “really difficult”. “It was a fight for my little boy’s life. If I had to go back and do it all over again, I would fight just as hard,” she said. “I will continue this fight. I have no intention of giving up, Archie wouldn’t want me to give up, he would definitely want me to keep going. “Things have to change.” Image: Archie Battersbee died earlier this month. Photo: Hollie Dance Archie died on August 6 at the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel, east London, after a protracted legal battle. The boy had been in a coma since April 7, when his mother found him unconscious at their home. Doctors treating him said he was “brain stem dead” and was being kept alive only by medical interventions, including ventilation and drug treatments. His family had fought to continue life support treatment in the hope that Archie would recover.
