Prince Harry Comforts a Boy and His Sister Who Are Battling the Same Terminal Illness

One of the things we love most about Prince Harry is his genuine interest in the well-being of other people. While some public figures might shy away from dealing with serious topics such as illness, Harry doesn't think twice about actually physically embracing those who are struggling. That's exactly what he did this week when he reunited with a pair of siblings in a London hospital who are battling the same terminal illness. Harry, who met 6-year-old Ollie Carroll and his little sister, Amelia, at the WellChild Awards last year, spent time with the pair on Tuesday. They both suffer from Batten disease, a rare genetic childhood nervous system disorder that eventually renders patients unable to walk, see, eat, or breathe. Most children diagnosed with Batten do not live past age 12. Ollie and Amelia's two older brothers were tested for the disease and don't have it.

Ollie and Amelia's parents, Lucy and Mike, posted two touching photos of the prince and their children on Facebook, including one of Harry embracing Ollie, who has lost the ability to stand on his own. "For an hour Prince Harry sat with us talking and playing with our children, laughing and making memories," they wrote. "The very thing our children want the most in life [is] to be happy and having fun. We feel so much pride knowing that Ollie and Amelia are touching the lives of the people they meet, with their love and their strength. The love, the support, and the laughter within that treatment room on Tuesday will stay with us forever. From the bottom of our hearts we thank Prince Harry for his support, his time, and his kindness towards our family and our journey with Batten Disease. It was truly incredible to watch him with our children and to have the opportunity to talk with him about our journey."