Liam Kerry, a 'full of life' Jaguar Land Rover model maker from Birmingham, tragically passed away at the age of 37 after a three-year battle with bowel cancer. He died surrounded by loved ones at his home on January 11, 2025, before completing his 'bucket list' idea of publishing a book of short stories.
Misdiagnosis and Discovery
Initially, doctors told Liam he likely had irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), but in 2022, a golf-sized tumour was discovered in his colon. He was diagnosed with stage 4 bowel cancer. Around a year before his death, he was informed the cancer was terminal and he had only 'a matter of months' to live.
The Book: Flush Fiction
During his illness, Liam began writing 'Flush Fiction', a collection of 100 'light and breezy' short stories intended for others facing similar health challenges to read on the toilet. He managed to write 99 of the stories himself. His final wish was for his close friend, Shane Grant, to publish the book on his behalf.
Shane, a friend of 20 years, completed and published the book on Amazon. The final story, number 100, is written by Shane as a summary of Liam's life and legacy. Proceeds from the book go to Bowel Cancer UK.
Friend's Tribute
Shane said: 'Liam was a man who spent a lot of time on the toilet. It took the doctors a while to figure out why, but in 2022, when they discovered a massive tumour, Liam knew he was going to be spending a lot longer on the toilet. During his struggles, he began writing a book for others going through similar problems. It was on his bucket list to write and publish the book.'
He added: 'He wished he got to see the final copy published. Liam had always written stories for fun. Nothing ever set him back. He was only pages away from finishing, penning 99 of the 100 stories himself before he died. However, his final request to his friend was to publish the book on his behalf.'
Shane felt it was his 'last gift' to his friend. 'I felt like I was doing something for him rather than feeling sorry for myself. So much of his personality is in the book. Some of them really make you laugh, and you would never know it was written by someone going through that. I just want more people to know about him.'
A Life Full of Life
Liam grew up in Sheldon and later moved to Billesley. He worked at the Gaydon plant for Jaguar Land Rover and contributed to cars featured in James Bond films. Shane recalled: 'Because he was someone who was so full of life, it's particularly saddening. It's still hard to come to terms with it, even though we knew it was coming. To have someone that special, it's always going to be sad when you lose them, but keeping active and making the most of things is something I've learned from him.'
'He left an impact on everyone he met. He was the life and soul where he worked as well. Most people would have been depressed, but he made the most of life. He was always going on holidays and taking an interest in other people's hobbies. He really made people feel special.'
