'It was just horrendous': Mum of tragic schoolboy Harvey Willgoose describes day of her son's death

Caroline Willgoose and her family returned to All Saints Catholic High School on Monday - exactly one week after 15-year-old Harvey died after an apparent school stabbing.

During the emotional visit, Caroline said any footage showing the moment her family learned of Harvey’s death could really help in the fight against knife crime.

“I think it needs to be as blunt as showing that video. Show that video of us being told our son had passed away. Show that video of us going to see his body, identifying him, hearing how he was.

“It needs to be as blunt as that and if they’ve got that on video, show it,” she said.

The suggestion for a blunt approach to knife crime came as she discussed the phone call she had with Harvey’s dad, Mark, when she found out what had happened to their beloved son.

“I was getting ready to go to work,” she said. “Mark’s mum rang me and said... ‘something serious has happened’.

“I rang Mark... he was shouting down the phone. ‘He’s been stabbed! He’s been stabbed! It’s serious!’ as soon as he said that a police car came up and said ‘you need to come with us now’. It was just horrendous.

“We were going to go to Northern General Hospital. We’d got blue lights on. Me and my son were there and then they said ‘we’re going to go to the Childrens’, turned the blue lights off and were going normal speed. I still thought ‘oh, he’s alright’.”

Tragically, emergency services were not able to get the family to Harvey’s side before he died. Caroline said Harvey sadly passed away in the ambulance on the way to hospital.

Harvey’s family led hundreds of people in a memorial march for the popular teenager and Sheffield United fan on Saturday, February 8, 2025.

Chants of “there’s only one Harvey Willgoose” rang out as the crowd walked from Sheffield Town Hall to Bramall Lane - the home of Harvey’s beloved Sheffield United.

The teenager died after an incident at All Saints Catholic High School on Monday, February 3, 2025. A 15-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has been charged with his murder.

Harvey’s family spent a moment in quiet reflection outside the school at 12.17pm on Monday - exactly one week, to the minute, after the first 999 call was made on the day Harvey lost his life.

Speaking to The Star afterwards, Caroline said Harvey was “known up and down the country. People have got in touch with me from other cities to say they met him at away games and he was funny.”

Tributes have poured in for the teen with an “infectious personality.”

Steve Davies, CEO of St Clare Catholic Multi Academy Trust, which runs All Saints Catholic High School, said: “Harvey was an invaluable part of our school community.

“An immensely popular young man with his fellow students and teachers alike, he had a smile that would light up the room. Harvey was young. He was precious. He was loved.”