Maddy Cusack 'more than a number on a shirt' as anniversary falls during inquest delay

Sitting connected a seat dedicated to her memory, Maddy Cusack's sister and relative fondly retrieve her arsenic their sunshine and idiosyncratic with a existent consciousness of fun.

Olivia Cusack says her large sister was the idiosyncratic "I looked up to my full life", portion for Emily Reilly, her relative Maddy's the 1 who "used to get america successful occupation with my dad".

But arsenic they travel to retrieve the erstwhile Sheffield United footballer connected the 3rd day of her death, they're inactive waiting for answers.

An inquest examining what happened to Maddy Cusack, who was 27 erstwhile she was recovered unconscious astatine her location successful Derbyshire, started successful June and should've finished successful July.

But it has been paused for months portion her erstwhile nine Sheffield United looks for documents linked to her aesculapian records.

It means her household volition person to hold until astatine slightest December to perceive much evidence, a hold Olivia describes arsenic "extremely overwhelming".

"It is precise affectional and you tin find yourself frustrated astatine times," she tells BBC Newsbeat.

"They're precise hard days."

Maddy's inquest had already been delayed doubly when the coroner adjourned it aft a small nether 2 weeks successful July.

Evidence, including grounds from her mum, heard however Maddy had struggled with her intelligence wellness earlier she died connected 20 September 2023 and had problems with Sheffield United manager Jonathan Morgan.

Morgan told the inquest helium had "no concerns" astir their narration and that "things person not been portrayed factually oregon correctly with however she was feeling".

While Maddy's relationships and wellbeing were scrutinised, Olivia says she felt Maddy herself, and who she was distant from the pitch, was overlooked.

"It dawned connected maine that erstwhile radical were asked questions astir Maddy and to stock what she was similar arsenic a person, they were each precise akin answers and rather focused connected the shot broadside of her," she says.

"People don't look to cognize her similar we did - of people they don't.

"But I wanted to present a antithetic broadside of Maddy.

"I wanted them to cognize much than the fig connected the backmost of her garment oregon the colours that she wore connected the shot pitch."

Olivia and Emily often travel to Maddy's memorial seat successful Scargill Park successful West Hallam, Derbyshire, which is wherever they each grew up.

With some of their birthdays astatine the extremity of October, Emily says they'd ever planned to walk them together, but "now I conscionable travel here".

"She utilized to get america successful occupation with my dada erstwhile we were younger," she says.

"It was ever her thought past I'd instrumentality the blasted for it."

In an inquest focusing connected darker times successful her life, it's this broadside of Maddy that her household thinks has got lost.

Olivia, on with different members of Maddy's family, has campaigned tirelessly since her sister's death, mounting up a instauration successful her sanction to enactment aspiring pistillate footballers.

"The instauration keeps maine going," she says. "It's been a existent lifeline to beryllium capable to proceed her story."

On Saturday, she organised a locomotion from Bramall Lane, Sheffield United's ground, to adjacent Derby wherever Maddy lived - a region of astir 30 miles.

"The purpose with the locomotion is conscionable to bash her proud," Olivia says.

"Maddy would emotion that we were each challenging ourselves."

An outer study ordered by Sheffield United soon aft Maddy's decease cleared the nine of wrongdoing.

A 2nd study from the Football Association, commissioned successful aboriginal 2024, won't beryllium published until her inquest concludes.

In December, the household volition instrumentality to Chesterfield Coroner's Court to perceive much grounds astir the circumstances astir Maddy's death.

"She volition lone ever stay a portion of this beingness if we support saying her sanction and support remembering her," Olivia says.

"And arsenic achy arsenic that tin beryllium connected days wherever you privation to hide and you conscionable privation to enactment successful furniture each time and not look the world, I effort and marque a conscious effort to support saying her sanction and support her surviving alongside america ultimately."