Family and friends say heartbreaking farewell to father and son who died while clutching each other as Sandy floodwaters rushed into their home

• Father and son were covered in 12ft of water within seconds of Sandy’s strike
• Son refused to leave his dad’s side despite being warned to evacuate
• Deaths in Staten Island now up to 19 after the superstorm
• Brother of the father was a fireman during 9/11 but said ‘nothing compares’ to this family loss

By Daniel Bates

Published: 22:39 EDT, 5 November 2012 | Updated: 11:12 EDT, 6 November 2012

A tragic father and son who died side-by-side as the fierce floodwaters of Superstorm Sandy rushed into their home were buried together on Monday in an emotional funeral.

John Filipowicz, of Staten Island, and his son – also named John – were found clinging to each other in their basement as they shielded themselves from a  torrent which covered them in 12ft of water in seconds.

John Jr, 20, was found drowned in his father’s arms after telling relatives that he would not leave his father.

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A service was held for the father and son on Monday at Staten Island’s St Charles Church.

It was attended by dozens of mourners, including John Sr’s wife Christine and their surviving children Joseph – John Jr’s twin brother – and 16-year-old Cali.

DNAInfo reported that the two men were big fans of the New York Jets, and were buried in the jerseys of their favorite players – Joe Klecko for John Sr and Dustin Keller for John Jr.

Relatives said that the two had an ‘incredible bond’ and would never have been separated – in life or in death.

John Sr, 51, stayed behind to watch over the house, but his son refused to leave his side.

Among the mourners were John Sr’s wife Christine, and his two surviving children, Joseph, John Jr’s twin and 16-year-old Cali.

The deaths were among the 19 fatalities on Staten Island due to Superstorm Sandy, more than any other borough in New York. The total U.S. death toll currently stands at 110.

Among the other victims were Connor and Brandon Moore, aged four and two, who were swept out of their mother’s arms by a giant wave on the east coast of Staten Island.

The Filipowicz family lived on Fox Beach Avenue, which was among the hardest hit streets on the island.

Neil Filipowicz, 46, John Sr’s brother, told MailOnline that his brother decided to ignore warnings to evacuate after Hurricane Irene last year and a 1992 storm.

He said: ‘I spoke to Joseph and he said that that day he tried to get him to leave. He was on the phone and was telling John [Jr] to leave the house. He told him: ‘I’m not leaving Daddy.’

‘There was no way he was going to leave his dad at home. It was a bond how it’s supposed to be with your kids, between a son and a father. They loved each other so much. They had an incredible bond.’

Neil, a retired New York City firefighter who served on 9/11, said the family became concerned when they were unable to reach either father or son during Monday night’s storm.

Neil went to their house the next day at 7.30am, had a look round the house and noticed his brother’s keys and wallet were on the table but there was no sign of them.

Neil, Christine and other relatives then went round local hostels and when they found nothing, Neil went back to the house on his own.

Neil said: ‘I crawled through a hole in the wall that the water had made. I shone my flashlight from right to left and then I saw a hand, to my left.

‘I was praying it was a doll’s hand but I reached in the water and grabbed it and my nephew came up.

‘My brother came up too, he had his arm round the back of his head, shielding him.

‘I was pulling both of them at the same time, by their shirts and a neighbour came and helped me remove them and we put them on the side of the house until they were moved by the National Guard and the Medical Examiner.

‘My nephew was holding my brother and my brother was clutching him into his chest as if they knew they were dying.

‘My brother was protecting him. Their eyes were open. My brother looked intense, like he was still trying to fight the end and be the father and protect his son. My nephew was so scared.

‘The water line on this was 10ft up but I’m thinking it must have been much higher.’

Neil said that the two men were in the basement because they were checking on things.’

He added said: ‘I know my brother had some sandbags outside, he had used some expandable foam on the back door. No water got through it.

‘All the foam had to be cut out, he probably was checking on it and maybe he heard a crack in the structure, but once that gave way, the rush of the water, that pressure.

‘Some of the cinderblocks are over the other side of the basement. To be pushed like that, they shot like [a] cannon.’

Fighting back the tears, Neil said that he had been on duty as a New York City fireman on 9/11 but that ‘nothing compares to this because of the closeness.’

Neighbours knew John the elder as the ‘mayor’ of the street because he looked after them all by helping clean the snow out of the street in winter.

They in turn referred to him by the family nickname, ‘Flip’. Paying tribute to his brother, Neil said: ‘My brother was all about family. Even our friends were considered family, it was like an extended family.

‘He was United States Marine out of High School. He served in Greneda then he worked in the New York City Corrections Department and from there he retired and worked for the Concrete Labourers Union for a while.

‘He was a big family man, loved his wife and kids immensely. For the last few years he drove a bus for school kids.

‘He was football coach, a basketball coach. He was school baseball coach as well and was a church going man, he was a regular at St Charles Catholic church.’

Neil described John Jr as a ‘prince’ who did ‘anything for anyone.’

He said: ‘He was the heir to who is father was. He did everything right. He was never in trouble, he did everything right. He was devoted to his girlfriend. He went to college and took the Fire Department test, he was trying to better himself and thinking about becoming a nurse.’

VIDEO: Father and son laid to rest side by side

A British Airways passenger was left feeling ‘completely devastated’ and ‘physically sick’ after she and her family were ‘removed’ from a flight – because her son has a severe nut allergy and there was a meal with nuts on board the plane.

What’s more, the passenger, Alice Smith*, 43, had spent days in conversation with BA arranging for her cabin on the August 24 flight from London Heathrow to Dubai to be nut-free.

Yet when BA staff discovered that a cashew nut meal had been delivered to the galley for the meal service, Smith claims they decided to remove her group from the flight instead of the nut dish. So Smith – who has vowed never to fly with BA again – disembarked, along with her husband, 50, her two elderly parents, aged 73 and 74, and her two children, aged 14 and 18.

They weren’t placed on another flight to Dubai until the following day. On their replacement flight, Smith, her husband and their sons were downgraded to economy seats, despite having paid to sit in premium economy, marketed by BA as World Traveller Plus. Smith’s elderly parents, however, were upgraded from premium economy to business class. 

As a result of the debacle, the family lost a whole day of their 10-day trip in Dubai, which had been booked – along with their flights – through BA Holidays. 

To compensate, an extra day was added on to their trip ‘free of charge’.

The holiday was a special one for the family, as it was Smith’s elderly father’s first trip after undergoing a heart bypass. Smith was recommended BA Holidays by a friend, and spent £15,500 on the package break, splashing out extra on premium economy tickets to ensure her father would be comfortable.

Smith’s 14-year-old son is allergic to all nuts – including tree nuts such as cashews – and must carry an emergency adrenaline pen in case of an allergic reaction.

The mum-of-two, who is self-employed, first contacted BA about her son’s severe allergy on August 12 – nearly two weeks before their flight was due to depart.

Smith is aware that the airline can’t guarantee a completely nut-free environment, as its website states, but she alleges she was told that they wouldn’t have any nut dishes on the menu in her cabin. She says: ‘We [were] assured by BA several times that no nuts would be served in our cabin and several announcements would be made before take-off.’ 

When the family of six arrived at the airport to check in for flight BA107, they were again reassured that no nuts would be served in the cabin, Smith claims.

Later they boarded the A380 early ‘to clean and sanitise the area’ around their seats as they usually do, Smith explains. When she spoke to the crew on board about her son’s allergy, they told her that they ‘knew all about it’ and said that earlier in the day, they’d held a meeting in which they’d discussed the precautions they would take, Smith says.

She continues: ‘[The crew] proceeded to make five separate announcements [to fellow passengers] to “please refrain from eating or opening any nuts or nut products as there is a young person on board who has a severe nut allergy”.’

Smith was impressed by the multiple announcements and says that ‘all seemed well’. She says of her fellow passengers: ‘People were handing in nuts to the crew, saying: “Oh I’ve got some, can you take them away from me.” Passengers were lovely.

‘We were fully assured, fully confident. [We were] literally sitting there, ready for take-off.’ 

However, things took a turn when they were handed their menus, ‘which, to [her] horror included a prawn with cashew nut meal’.

Smith says: ‘What happened over the next hour has traumatised our whole family and won’t leave us.’

Feeling ‘tearful and anxious’, she says she alerted the crew to the nut dish on the menu. 

Smith alleges she was initially told that the cashew nut dish would be replaced. Then, three members of ground staff came on board the flight and Smith was informed that it had been decided it was ‘best’ for her family to disembark the aircraft, she alleges.

She notes that ‘some of [the crew] were so upset and they were lovely… I do not know whose decision this was to remove a family [instead of] a little carton of food’.

Smith claims: ‘By this point, I was shaking and feeling very intimidated and bullied… I explained that I had my elderly parents with us and there were six of us.’ She also pointed out that they had repeatedly received assurance there would be no nuts served in the cabin, but it was to no avail – they were asked to leave the flight, she alleges.

She admits: ‘I can’t tell you the shock and horror of that feeling… I just kept thinking this can’t be happening. We were removed, our bags [were] taken off and my family [was] distraught.

‘I was in floods of tears.’

She alleges that fellow passengers on board were ‘disgusted and said how horrendous it was… no one could believe it’.

Smith and her family spent the rest of the day in arrivals with representatives from British Airways’ customer service team trying to arrange a new flight to Dubai, she says. Eventually, a flight for the following day was arranged. 

The family was offered water, but not food vouchers or a hotel for the night, she alleges – a claim that BA disputes. 

Smith alleges they had no option but to return to their Berkshire home ahead of their replacement flight the following day, paying for taxis both there and back. 

There were no issues with nuts on their subsequent flight to Dubai.

Smith says: ‘Our holiday we had been looking forward to [was] ruined. The treatment we received was horrific. The stress suffered has affected us all.

‘We have not had any explanation for what they did to us and no remorse [has been] shown.’

She plans on seeking compensation from BA eventually but says she is currently ‘too traumatised’ by the experience to navigate making a claim.

Smith says: ‘It was just the most traumatic, awful, horrendous experience. It left me feeling physically sick. I’ll never travel with them again. Never – it was shocking.’

A statement from BA disputes aspects of Smith’s account. It says: ‘The safety and welfare of our customers is always our priority, and that’s why on every flight we operate we follow the recommendations of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) for allergen-sensitive passengers. 

‘We clearly state in our published policy, and all correspondence with customers, that we can never guarantee an allergen-free cabin environment. Our crews work hard to limit any risk by allowing customers to board early to carry out additional cleansing, making allergy announcements to all passengers and restricting the serving of peanuts. 

‘In this case, our teams worked hard to find solutions to the issues raised once the customers elected not to travel that day, offering overnight hotel accommodation, the same flight the following day and extending the family’s holiday free of charge.’

The BA website says: ‘We cannot guarantee an allergen-free cabin environment or prevent other passengers from bringing their own food on board. Meals containing tree nuts may continue to be served throughout the aircraft and tree-nut-based snacks may also continue to be served in other cabins of travel depending on the aircraft type.’

The charity Allergy UK says that ‘it is important that airline staff are informed of a food allergy at every opportunity’ though it notes that ‘individual airlines will have their own policy on food allergy management and this will vary depending on the provider’.

It adds: ‘There is no legislation to date that determines best practice for managing the needs of the food allergic traveller.’

*The subject’s name has been changed.  

The White House said President Joe Biden was just calling to check in on Hunter when he was on calls with his son’s business associates. 

‘This is part of the right-wing’s misinformation machine to try to confuse people about what the truth is,’ White House spokesperson for oversight and investigations Ian Sams told CNN on Wednesday morning.

‘The truth is that the president, as he said publicly for years, calls his family every day to check in. He calls his son every day to check in. He calls his other family members to check in to see how they are doing. He loves them. They are a tight-knit family.’ 

Hunter’s former business partner Devon Archer told the House Oversight Committee in testimony this summer that Hunter had put his father on speakerphone during business meetings about 20 times.

Sams argued those calls were personal as the White House doubled down on its pushback to Speaker Kevin McCarthy opening an impeachment inquiry into the president. The administration also sent a letter to news organizations pushing the outlets ‘to ramp up its scrutiny of House Republicans for opening an impeachment inquiry based on lies.’

At the time of Archer’s closed-door testimony, Democrats in the room said Archer described the calls as personal.

‘The witness indicated that Hunter spoke to his father every day, and approximately 20 times over the course of 10-year relationship, Hunter may have put his father on the phone with any number of different people, and they never once spoke about any business dealings,’ Democratic Rep. Dan Goldman of New York said at the time. 

‘As he described it, it was all casual conversation, niceties, the weather, what’s going on. There wasn’t a single conversation about any of the business dealings that Hunter had,’ Goldman noted.

But Republican Chairman James Comer of Kentucky said Archer testified that Joe Biden ‘joined Hunter Biden’s dinners with his foreign business associates in person or by speakerphone over 20 times’ and was put on the phone to sell ‘the brand.’ 

Comer said the testimony shows ‘Joe Biden lied to the American people when he said he had no knowledge about his son’s business dealings and was not involved. Joe Biden was ‘the brand’ that his son sold around the world to enrich the Biden family.’ 

The White House has accused Republicans of election-year politics with its impeachment inquiry.

‘The president has been in politics for a long time. I think as he would say, he has seen a lot of malarkey along the way, but this might take the cake,’ Sams told CNN. ‘He’s focused on issues that matter to the American people.’

Sams is White House point person on countering Republican accusations against the president and his family. He is part of a war room established in the White House counsel’s office specifically to deal with GOP investigations.

He noted Biden, who was vice president at the time, was calling Hunter to check in because the family was also dealing with the illness of Beau Biden, the late son of the president. Beau Biden died in 2015 of brain cancer.

‘He was checking in with Hunter during a particularly hard time, a time where the family was going through Hunter’s brother Beau’s illness. Of course the president checks in,’ Sams said.

Hunter Biden has spoken about how he relapsed into his drug and alcohol addiction after his brother died. The Biden family later held an intervention to get him to do another stint in rehab.

It was during that intervention that Joe Biden told his son: ‘I don’t know what else to do. I’m so scared. Tell me what to do.’ 

Hunter Biden did get sober but his business dealings are being investigated by House Republicans. And the impeachment inquiry – the first step in the impeachment process – will investigate whether President Biden personally benefited from his son’s work.

Biden has said he had nothing to do with Hunter’s business deals.

Speaker McCarthy, under heavy pressure from the conservative wing of his party and facing threats to his speakership, declared on Tuesday the inquiry would begin. 

‘House Republicans have uncovered serious and credible allegations into President Biden’s conduct,’ McCarthy said. ‘Taken together these allegations paint a picture of a culture of corruption.’

‘These are allegations of abuse of power, obstruction and corruption. And they warrant further investigation by the House of Representatives. That’s why today I am directing our House committee to open a formal impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden,’ he noted.

Republicans have charged Biden and his family made millions off shell companies Hunter Biden formed when his father was vice president. Hunter had business deals with an energy company in the Ukraine, received a discounted stake in a private-equity firm in China, and did consulting for a Romanian real-estate magnate.

The president has denied any involvement in his son’s business dealings. But Republicans claim at least a dozen Biden family members could be involved in a scheme to benefit financially from Biden’s public office. 

House investigators are expected to issue subpoenas for the bank records of the president and his family. The GOP also claim Biden sat in on at least 24 calls with Hunter’s business partners and was referred to as ‘the big guy’ by Hunter’s business associates. And they say Joe Biden used pseudonyms to discuss his activities related to Ukraine with his son Hunter during his time as vice president.

It’s estimated Hunter raked in $40 million through 20 shell companies and fake accounts created while Joe Biden was vice president.

A carbon-zero flight from London to New York in just 3.5 hours might sound too good to be true. 

But believe it or not, it could become a reality in just four years.

Boom Supersonic’s Overture, dubbed the ‘Son of Concorde’, is tipped to be the ‘world’s fastest airliner’, reaching speeds of Mach 1.7 (about 1,300mph).

A scaled-down prototype of Overture, called XB-1 Baby Boom, has completed ‘key milestones’ during testing as it progresses towards its first flight, the firm says. 

Should XB-1 Baby Boom pass its tests, Overture will be unveiled in 2026, before the first flight of the aircraft in 2027 and commercial passenger flights in 2029. 

Earlier this year, XB-1 Baby Boom moved from the company’s hangar in Centennial, Colorado to the Mojave Air & Space Port in Mojave, California to continue preparations for flight. 

It’s just completed ‘taxi testing’ – a step in aircraft development that looks at whether the plane can go down the runway at speed (without leaving the ground), the firm explained. 

‘The recent progress made towards XB-1’s first flight reflects the team’s collective efforts to build and safely fly the world’s first independently developed supersonic jet,’ said Blake Scholl, Boom Supersonic founder and CEO. 

At 62 feet long, XB-1 Baby Boom is around one-third of the size of the Overture (201 feet), which will eventually transport up to 80 paying passengers, whether for business or leisure.  

Overture, which is still under development, will be built to operate on 100 per cent sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), made from sustainable and renewable sources, rather than fossil fuels.

Crucially, Overture will have a quieter ‘supersonic boom’ than the original Concorde, which was known for its unsettling noise. 

A sonic boom happens when the shock waves from an object travelling through the air faster than the speed of sound merge together before they reach the ground. 

Overture is driven by four powerful wing-mounted engines, meaning lower thrust is needed for each. 

Overall, this reduces noise levels, according to Boom Supersonic. 

However, Overture will cruise at Mach 1.7 (about 1,300mph) – less than Concorde’s max cruising speed of Mach 2.04 (1,550 mph). 

Regardless, industry heavyweights who are interested in reducing their carbon footprint have snapped up Overture planes when they become ready, including United Airlines and American Airlines. 

Along with successful taxi flights, the firm’s one-third model, XB-1 Baby Boom, has received an ‘experimental airworthiness certificate’, given to more unconventional flying machines so the manufacturer can perform flight tests. 

The certification was issued by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) following a ‘detailed aircraft inspection’, Boom Supersonic said. 

Letters of agreement with airspace authorities are also in place allowing for flights of the aircraft over the Mojave desert. 

Boom Supersonic’s XB-1’s historic first flight will occur in the same airspace where the first airplane flew faster than the speed of sound. 

Captain Charles ‘Chuck’ Yeager first broke the sound barrier in the Bell X-1 – from which the new craft borrows its name – back in October 1947.  

The legendary rocket engine-powered aircraft, designed and built in 1945, achieved a speed of 700 miles (1,127 kilometers) per hour. 

‘It’s fitting that XB-1 is now progressing toward first flight at the Mojave Air & Space Port, home to more than 50 first flights and other significant aviation events,’ said Bill Shoemaker, chief test pilot at Boom Supersonic. 

‘I’m looking forward to flying XB-1 here, building on the achievements of other talented engineers and pilots who inspire us every day to make supersonic travel mainstream.’ 

Boom Supersonic is one of several firms working on developing commercial liners that are being dubbed ‘Son of Concorde’, in a race to be the first successor of the iconic British-French creation, which made its first successful flight in March 1969.

Concorde had its first commercial flights in 1976, but it was grounded in October 2003 in the aftermath of the catastrophic Air France Flight 4590 crash. 

Other reasons for the demise of Concorde were high fuel costs, concern over its noise and a preference for lower fares over speed. 

No government or manufacturer has since been able to build a commercial plane that can travel faster than the speed of sound.

‘Are you off to Ricky’s house’ asked my taxi driver as he pulled up at the train station. It was clear from the local cab driver’s face that he was proud of Ricky Hatton’s association with Hyde.

During our short drive to the Manchurian’s house, I was inundated with stories about the Hitman and his involvement in the community. We spoke in great detail about Hatton’s five world titles and his unification bout with Carlos Maussa.

But, ask Hatton about his career and he will describe himself as a failure and highlight the depression, addiction and shame that followed his defeats to Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao.

After just 30 minutes in Hatton’s company, I learnt about his suicidal thoughts, the way in which his family grieved his defeat to Pacquiao and his concerns surrounding his son’s involvement in boxing.

Hatton’s story is certainly one of triumph over adversity. His widely publicised struggles with substance abuse didn’t stop him from becoming one of the most influential and beloved figures in British boxing. Now he hopes his son Campbell can enjoy success without the darkness that engulfed him. 

‘There’s a possibility Campbell could experience the same mental health problems as me. I have said to Campbell if there is anything on your mind, come to me. I nearly wasn’t here to enjoy the things that I am loving today. 

‘Spending time with my grandfather and seeing Campbell turn professional. Seeing my girls turning into the young ladies they are today. I nearly wasn’t here to experience that as I was suicidal. So I will hammer him every day asking if he’s okay.’

Hatton pinpointed his defeat to Mayweather as the moment his mental health spiralled out of control. He challenged for the WBC welterweight crown but was stopped for the first time in his career by the former five-weight world champion.

‘When I got beaten by Mayweather I was devastated. I told everyone I was going to win. I got my best pay day and I am fighting the best pound for pound fighter in the world but I didn’t go there just for that though.

‘I thought I was going to beat him. When I didn’t, after telling all those fans that went over I would, it put my head away.

‘After the fight, I couldn’t walk down the street I was so embarrassed. I didn’t want to show my face. I know that seems a bit strong but that’s what was in my mind.

‘I thought everyone was looking at me saying he told us he was going to beat Mayweather and he didn’t. It’s a shame really but was the start of my mental health struggles.’

That wasn’t the only loss Hatton struggled to deal with. Hatton’s aggressive style was no match for Pacquiao’s speed, accuracy, and power, resulting in a crushing second-round knockout. He described the scenes in the changing room after the fight as ‘heartbreaking’.

Hatton was used to basking in the euphoria of victory. There would be an intoxicating mix of elation, relief, and camaraderie. Loved ones would clutch onto his sweat-soaked body and fill the air with a round of applause.

But, not on May 2, 2009. The dressing room became a somber place, filled with silent stares and the occasional sigh following the Pacquiao defeat.

‘It was like a death in the family when we went back to the changing rooms. You don’t see many more brutal knockouts than that.

‘To see your mate or your loved one knocked out in that manor must have been very very hard. I think people were thinking Ricky needs to hang his gloves up now after being knocked out like that.

‘You know, he’s had his day. He’s had 45 fights. The way I was living my life and ballooning up and down in weight wouldn’t have done my body or mental health any good.’

Ricky, like many others, tried to hide his mental health issues from his family as he felt it was wrong to burden them with his problems. 

‘The thing is people never really knew how bad I was in terms of my mental health. I always shielded it from my family and my loved ones.

‘I didn’t want to tell them how bad it was because I didn’t want to worry them. I am certainly not going to go to my mates and say I am crying everyday. I want to kill myself. You just don’t do it. But, they knew I was in a bad place mentally. But, they didn’t know how bad it was.’

‘But, I went through a period where I didn’t care whether I lived or died. I thought to myself, f****ing hell Rick this is bad. You need to sort yourself out. I went and saw a psychiatrist in Manchester and said you need to tell me what to do otherwise I won’t be here next week, I’m going to kill myself.’ 

Ricky believes boxing as a sport needs to do more to protect its athletes.

‘Footballers have a club to look after them. They also have the PFA where they looked after. Promoters are like you’re making money great. Now who is the next prospect? The way that the sport is and the fact you intend on hurting your opponent, it’s hard. 

‘Don’t forget, boxers don’t come from Cambridge or Oxford either. They come from council estates. We don’t know how to deal with money or mental health. Promoters just move onto the next prospect. I think more should be done to help boxers.’

Despite his ongoing battle, Hatton has turned his life around and embraced a healthier lifestyle. That being said, there’s still a burning sense of injustice following referee Joe Cortez’s performance during his title fight with Mayweather.

When asked whether he felt cheated, Hatton said: ‘Yes, very much so. You have to remember Cortez was from Vegas. Mayweather was from Vegas. I’m not saying he was handed a brown envelope but I just think there was a bit of favouritism towards the hometown boy.’

Despite hanging up his gloves, Hatton’s love for the sport is still there. He found solace and purpose in the ring but made its clear boxers need more support.

‘Footballers have a club to look after them. They also have the PFA where they looked after. Footballers get testimonials, whereas in boxing they are on their own.

‘Promoters are like you’re making money great. Now who is the next prospect. It’s a shame but it’s always been like that boxing.

‘The way that the sport is and the way you have to go through with the intent of hurting your opponent, it’s hard. Don’t forget, boxers don’t come from Cambridge or Oxford either. They come from council estates.

‘We don’t know how to deal with money. We don’t know how to deal with mental health. The promoter just move onto the next prospect. I think more should be done to help boxers.

‘It’s a shame because how many times do you see boxers who win world titles, make their fortunes and then end up with nothing. We do need help, we’re not the brightest buttons in the box.’

Hatton is hoping those changes come into play sooner rather than later as his son Campbell continues to forge his own career in the sport.

‘There’s a possibility he could experience the same mental health problems as me. He was too young when I was going through my bad stage to actually realise what was going on. Now he knows the score and what I went through.

‘I have said to Campbell if there is anything on your mind, whether that’s a relationship problem or a problem at home, come to me.

‘Use my mistakes to benefit you. Just come and tell me. Speak to me and get it off your chest. I say that to everyone. We all have bad days, share it with someone you’ll be better for it.

‘I nearly wasn’t here to enjoy the things that I am loving today. Spending time with my grandfather and seeing Campbell turn professional. Seeing my girls turning into the young ladies they are today. I nearly wasn’t here to experience that.

‘So I will hammer him every day asking him if he has any problems. Whether it’s something I did right in the ring or something I did wrong out of the ring, I have the answer for you.

‘I think he’s proud when he sees what I’ve gone through and where I am now. I think he knows that if anything goes wrong, he has to come to me. I am confident he will do so.’

Our interview wasn’t all doom and gloom. Hatton highlighted his fight with Kostya Tszyu as the standout moment of his career.

Tszyu, a dominant force in the lightweight division, had not been defeated in over a decade until he stepped foot in the ring with Hatton.

The Hitman’s relentless pressure and attacking style saw the Russian boxer quit on his stall after the 11th round.

‘I had come back into the corner and I said to Billy Graham, I have nothing left. I have nothing left. He said, Ricky I don’t want to hear that.

‘He said remember all of those days sitting on the bottom step at the gym in Salford, having a cup of tea and you saying I want to be the best in the world. You saying I want to go to Vegas. I want to fight the best fighters in the world. I want to fight the best pound for pound fighters. He said this is your chance to become the best. This is the day we dreamed of.

‘You’ve got your nose in front now. I don’t want to hear any crap about you have nothing left. All you have to do is dig in and out the finishing touches on to make your dreams come true.

‘A good trainer knows the right words to say at the right time. He brought me back to when I was 16/17 years old sitting on that step. I went yep, yep he’s right. It had reached that stage in the fight where it didn’t matter about a certain punch, or a certain combination. We had gone past the tactic stage. All I needed was him to say something that would get those last couple of rounds from me.

‘I stood up and got off my stool. I looked around him and I saw the referee go like that. I thought, thank god for that. I started crying. I didn’t have much left in my but I would have gotten it out.’

Hatton is available to watch on Sky Documentaries and NOW 

Tyson Fury’s father John flips tables to end the press conference for son Tommy’s fight against KSI

• Tommy Fury’s father John flipped his table during Tuesday’s press conference
• John was furious after KSI mocked Tommy and his older brother Tyson Fury
• Security rushed in as a mass brawl broke out between the two teams on stage 

By Charlotte Daly For Mailonline

Updated: 12:25 EDT, 22 August 2023

Celebrities stepped out in droves on Monday evening to see Ed Sheeran perform at a private show in The Hamptons.

Gwyneth Paltrow, 50, brought along her and ex-husband Chris Martin‘s 17-year-old son Moses Martin.

And Jerry Seinfeld, 69, was seen in good spirits as he arrived with his wife Jessica, 51, by his side for the concert at the Stephen Talkhouse in Amagansett.

The Goop founder was casually stylish in a navy blue knit sweater and wide-leg denim trousers.

Her teenage son joined her in a dark jacket layered over a crew neck white T-shirt. 

Gwyneth rounded out her ensemble with a pair of white sneakers and wore a pair of aviator sunglasses.

Her graying blonde locks were arranged in a center part and soft, lustrous waves as she tucked the front pieces behind her ears.

She stacked multiple bracelets and wore a chunky chain link necklace around her neck.

After the show she reemerged with her sweater tied securely around her wait.

The lifestyle guru showed off her toned arms and flashed her cleavage in a low-cut white tank top.

Moses joined his Oscar-winning mother in a pair of textured red Adidas sneakers. 

His tousled dirty blonde hair was neatly styled in a tapered haircut that left the hair on top of his head a bit longer. 

Missing from the scene was his older sister Apple, 19, who sometimes makes appearances on their mom’s Instagram account. 

Jerry dressed comfortably in a pair of faded blue jeans and a short-sleeved navy blue polo shirt. 

He wore a pair of gray suede sneakers with white soles and his salt and pepper hair was neatly cut.

The Comedians In Cars With Coffee star wore very narrow, rimless eyeglasses and sported a black watch.

He was all smiles as he kept close to his longtime partner, who looked stylish in a clinging magenta dress.

Jessica elevated her look by cinching a yellow and gray horizontally striped belt around her waist.

The New York native, who has three children with Jerry, coordinated the accessory with her woven multicolor purse.

She wore oversized, glamorous glossy black sunglasses and small diamond drop earrings. 

Her bouncy blonde bob haircut was styled in an off-center part and fluffy waves. 

Living legend Paul McCartney was also in attendance at the celebrity-filled concert. 

The 81-year-old Beatles crooner looked fantastic in an all black look that included a crew neck sweater and denim pants.

He wore aviator sunglasses and his graying hair was in a shaggy cut that complemented his fully gray beard.

The iconic music artist wore a watch around his right wrist and flashed a thumbs-up as he arrived at the venue.

Joining in the fun on Monday evening was Christie Brinkley, 69, who brought along her daughter Sailor Brinkley Cook, 25.

The stunning supermodel wowed in a plunging blue and cream patterned mini dress.

She paired the flirty look – which had a tiered skirt – with to-the-knee gladiator sandals. 

Sailor joined her mom in a long-sleeved floral patterned red maxi dress that she wore with black ballet flats.

Ed Sheeran performed an exclusive concert featuring music from his latest album Subtract for SiriusXM subscribers.

The high-profile production is slated to air on SiriusXM’s The Ed Sheeran Channel on Wednesday, August 16 at 3:00 pm, 6:00 pm and 9:00 pm ET.

After that, the performance will re-air throughout the week – and the show will also  air on SiriusXM Hits 1. 

It comes after the redhead pop star performed for free at Sam Branson’s 38th birthday bash on Necker Island.

Emily Ratajkowski enjoys idyllic countryside getaway with her son Sly, two

By Ashleigh Gray For Dailymail.Com

Updated: 20:41 EDT, 7 August 2023

This is the shocking moment a British tourist and his son were brutally beaten by bouncers outside a bar in Thailand‘s ‘Sin City’ of Pattaya.

Holidaymaker Ian Thomas, 60, and his son Gregory, 37, had entered the Matador Bar in the city’s Soi Buakhao red light street but were allegedly asked to leave by the bar owner at around 1.35am on August 5.

The pair were ushered outside by bouncers when their heated argument descended into a physical brawl, with Gregory first being beaten up. CCTV footage shows how he was hit and pulled to the ground where he was then kicked repeatedly.

Footage then shows how the older Brit Ian, in a black shirt, then slapped a guard across the face, sparking more chaos as the staff pushed him to the ground while repeatedly kicking him in the head.

Gregory, in a checkered polo, was seen trying to help his father but was again attacked and beaten, with his father left in a heap in the road.

Later footage from the scene showed Gregory recounting the events.

The 37-year-old said: ‘The bouncer became aggressive with me and I said ‘do you want to fight me?’. He started fighting me. I came outside and he pushed me to the ground and my shoe came off.

‘I stood up and my shoe came off. I stood up and said ‘sorry, sorry’ and I gave him 2,000 Baht. Everything was OK.’

Pattaya police officers arrived at the scene to intervene following reports from worried bystanders.

They found Gregory tending to an injured Ian, who was lying on the ground with a wounded left eyebrow and broken glasses.

They took the tourists and bouncer Natthakarn Boonprasom, 27, to the police station for questioning.

Natthakarn said the bar owner had ordered him to escort the British revellers out of the bar, but Ian shoved him, sparking the chaotic fight.

It was not clear why the tourists were kicked out of the bar.

At the station, Ian complained of chest pains and had to be rushed to the Pattaya Memorial Hospital for treatment. 

Cops said he and his son were under the influence of alcohol, and were scheduled for interrogation at a later date.

Police Captain Nattapol Saengsee said officers had checked CCTV from the incident to ‘find a resolution’. He added: ‘We are mediating between the two groups to ensure that the situation is resolved.’

Thailand’s current military government has made efforts to clean up Pattaya after it was dubbed the ‘sex capital’ of the world and a modern-day Sodom and Gomorrah.

However, the city’s lucrative shadow economy based on sex, crime, drink and drugs has proved difficult to tame in the once-sleepy coastal city.

A large number of British ex-pats have also set up bars in the sun-drenched resort, which has become an attractive place for pensioners to retire.

Maralee Nichols on Sunday shared pictures from an outing on a farm she enjoyed with her 19-month-old son Theo, her son with Tristan Thompson.

‘A day on the farm with my best friend!’ the 32-year-old influencer captioned a post of a carousel of clips to her 261,000 followers documenting the summer day.

The fitness professional added, ‘We had soo much fun.’

The mom and son matched in denim blue short overalls and brown straw hats on the summer day at the farm setting, where Theo had fun at a petting zoo.

Nichols wore brown sunglasses and a white tank top with white sneakers on the outing, using a baby carrier in the outdoor outing on the sunny day.

Theo, whose face Nichols leaves out of the photos for privacy reasons, was seen having a good time up close with goats at a petting zoo; and pulling, and riding in a red wagon his mother was seen pulling.

The mother and son were seen walking uphill in a grassy area on the farm grounds. 

Nichols last week shared a photo on the same day that the professional basketball player posted a pair of shots featuring his baby son Tatum, he shares with his former partner Khloe Kardashian, 39.

Thompson, who has past played for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Boston Celtics, Sacramento Kings, Indiana Pacers and Chicago Bulls, flashed a wide smile as he posed for the snaps with his youngest child also placed a pair of sunglasses on his son before they spent time in front of the camera.

The reality television figure penned a short message in his post’s caption to publicly express his love for his child.

He wrote: ‘Happy birthday my son! You are a reminder of what life represents to me. You have taught me every loss comes a lesson and you are my gift. You are my reminder of all of God’s messages.’

Thompson continued: You are the reason that I began my story. The mistakes along the way are lessons not failures. There is no expiration date to reinventing yourself. Tatum your sweet soul reminds me of God’s grace.’

The professional basketball player concluded by writing that ‘I am so blessed to be your DaDa!’

Several Instagram users took to the post’s caption to express that the athlete was publicly favoring his youngest son over Theo.

Nichols previously named Thompson in a paternity lawsuit in December of 2021.

According to Page Six, the athlete subsequently demanded that a DNA test be performed in order to establish Theo’s parenthood. 

However, it was eventually confirmed that the professional basketball player had, in fact, fathered Nichols’ child. 

The reality television personality went on to issue a lengthy apology via his Instagram Story, in which he publicly acknowledged his status as Theo’s father.

He wrote that he was looking ‘forward to amicably raising’ his son with Nichols.

Thompson also added a special apology for Kardashian whom he felt was particularly hurt by the revelation.

‘Khloe, you don’t deserve this. You don’t deserve the heartache and humiliation I have caused you, You don’t deserve the way I have treated you over the years,’ he wrote.