Grieving sister of Sheffield United player plans 30-mile walk for charity to 'Bring Maddy Home'
“I really don’t want her to be remembered as her final moments, she was so much more than that”
The grieving sister of Sheffield United’s Maddy Cusack is preparing to embark on a mammoth walk to raise funds in her honour.
Olivia Cusack will be joined by friends and family to tackle a nearly 30-mile trek from her sister’s old ground on Bramall Lane all the way through to Derby - where the pair grew up - on September 19 with a mission of ‘Bringing Maddy Home’.
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“I’m slightly nervous, I must say there’s not been lots of preparation in terms of fitness,” Olivia said.
“But I’m feeling really good, I’m actually really looking forward to it.”
Maddy died in 2023, with an inquest held at Chesterfield Coroner’s Court earlier this year hearing that she had struggled with mental health issues, particularly after a new coach was appointed to the Blades’ women’s team.
The inquest has been adjourned until December, when a conclusion is set to be reached.
The difficult court proceedings ultimately pushed 27-year-old Olivia and her family to want to do something special on the third anniversary of Maddy’s death.
Olivia went on to say: “The idea to do the walk in the first place stemmed from the inquest.
“I was sat there and people were asked ‘describe Maddy’ or ‘what was she like as a person’.
“The responses were quite similar to each other, they were quite brief and it dawned on me that maybe people don’t know her as well as they seem to think they do.
“Obviously I know her very well - she’s my sister, I know her inside out - but it just made me question do people really know Maddy and are they remembering her for who she was, or is she remembered just purely by the kit that she wore or the number on the back of a shirt?
“I wanted to re-introduce her as the person that we know and love - she was much more than just a football player.”
While the walk will honour Maddy’s memory, it is also designed to raise funds for their charity the Maddy Cusack Foundation.
The foundation supports women and girls to get into football, inspired by Maddy’s own journey to professional success.
Funding helps cover the costs of kit and travel, helping girls who wish to play sports but are struggling “not through ability, but accessibility.”
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They have already partnered with groups in Derby and sponsor the Tinsley Juniors girls’ team in Sheffield.
“It was really important for me to have a link to Sheffield,” Olivia added.
“Regardless of what’s happening with the inquest and factors around why what happened happened, we can’t deny the fact that Maddy loved Sheffield as a city, she loved the club that she was at.
“She was very proud to be at that club.”
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In future, Olivia hopes to also work with mental health charities but said she’s “precious” about what Maddy’s name is associated with.
The walk has already raised close to £600 and while Olivia understands the day itself will be challenging, she’s inspired by Maddy, adding: “If this was a challenge for her, she'd walk every single step.”
“I’m aware that it will very mentally taxing as much as physical, but we’ll just channel her approach to life.
“It’s going to be difficult but with her in mind we can do it.”