Mason's last wish: Ride out in memory of teen, 19

Mason Gentry-Brown was a self-confessed petrolhead who loved motorbikes, cars and mechanics

At just 19, Mason Gentry-Brown had his entire life ahead of him. But last month he died of a rare bone cancer so severe it left him paralysed in his final weeks.

The self-confessed petrolhead, who loved everything from speedy motorbikes to the roar of a supercar engine, was dealt his devastating diagnosis of Ewing sarcoma in July 2024.

Over the course of his 13-month fight, Mason, who grew up in Lawford, Essex, but lived in Hadleigh, in Suffolk, endured gruelling treatments and lengthy hospital stays.

On Monday, in keeping with his last wish, a convoy of more than 100 motorbikes and cars will follow his funeral procession on what will be bike-loving Mason's final ride-out.

"He would have loved it," said his mum, Cherly Gentry. I think he will hear it and that's what we want, to make a roar that he can hear up there."

Mason’s mum said she was “so proud” of how her son dealt with his cancer

Mason's mum said her son was "polite and had a cheeky grin"

Despite knowing his cancer - which initially spread from his arm into his pelvis and lower spine - would eventually consume him, Mason refused to let it stop him.

His mum said he consistently "showed so much resilience", refused to give up, even though the odds were against him, and "didn't stop fighting until the very end".

"He carried on and tried living his life and did everything he wanted to do where he could and where his body allowed," added his mum.

"He knew that he was going to miss things, and he was annoyed that it had taken so much from him, but he never stopped smiling."

The 19-year-old died at St Elizabeth Hospice, in Ipswich, on 30 August

Mason with his dad, Steve Brown

Mason, whose funeral will take place at Mistley and Manningtree Church, was diagnosed after initially complaining about a dull ache in his arm.

X-rays and tests revealed a 23cm tumour had grown and spread to other parts of his body.

A demanding schedule of biopsies, chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatments at a variety of hospitals followed, as doctors tried to suppress the disease.

But just three weeks after finishing his treatment at the end of April, scans revealed his cancer was growing once again.

It was shortly after this point that doctors told "polite and cheeky" Mason, who was autistic, that they could use chemotherapy to somewhat control the cancer, but not cure it.

"He knew his days were numbered, but he was saying he was fighting for everyone else," said Ms Gentry.

"It wasn't even about him - he was always worried about the impact it would have on everyone else."

Mason developed a passion for motorbikes at an early age while living in Lawford

Then, in July this year, 12 months since his first diagnosis, yet another large tumour was discovered on Mason's spine during what became his final trip to hospital.

It left him paralysed from the waist down, which, for Mason, proved to be a clear indicator that the end was near.

"He walked in as an outpatient, and he never walked again, but there was nothing more that they could do," his mum said.

"When they put him on the first chemotherapy management, they said he had a year at best. This time, they said he had weeks.

"But I don't think there was a huge amount of surprise for him because he always had a way of coming back and just smiling, lifting his head up and carrying on."

'He looked at peace'

Mason died on 30 August at St Elizabeth Hospice in Ipswich, with his mum and dad by his side in his final moments.

Emotionally, for his parents, it was conflicting.

"I'd been watching him in pain, discomfort and torment, so it was a relief, but I was also angry and sad, I kind of felt everything," said Ms Gentry.

"The look on his face [after he died] was the first time in months that he looked at peace – there was no pain, no furrowed brow, he just looked asleep.

"His dad and I saw him into the world, and we saw him out of it, and I couldn't be more proud of him – he was astonishing to me."

The Ride For Mason will start in Bridge Street, in Hadleigh, at 11:30 BST before travelling through Lawford, past Mistley Manor, and then onto Mistley and Manningtree Church for his funeral service.