Hillsborough disaster survivor's Facebook appeal goes viral

A appeal to find a 'hero' who saved an eight-year-old boy's life in the Hillsborough disaster has gone viral.
By The Newsroom
Published 13th May 2016, 08:15 BST
Updated 13th May 2016, 08:20 BST
A Facebook appeal has gone viralA Facebook appeal has gone viral
A Facebook appeal has gone viral

Joe Smith, now aged 35, spotted footage of himself at Hillsborough on the day 96 fans were killed in a new documentary screened following the conclusion of the new inquests into the deaths.

He spotted himself on a man's shoulders after being rescued from the crush on the terraces at the Leppings Lane end of the stadium when Liverpool FC played Nottingham Forest in an FA Cup semi-final in April 1989.

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Joe, a dad-of-two from Kirby, Liverpool, posted a screen grab of the footage on Facebook and appealed for help in tracing the 'hero' who helped him.

The appeal has now been shared over 130,000 times since Wednesday afternoon.

He wrote: "The man who's shoulders I am on is the man who helped save my life at Hillsborough.

"I've never in 27 years seen this image until the documentary just released, and it's thrown me big time.

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"I would love to find this man and thank him for what he did for me that day, please can you share this status and help me find my hero of that day."

Mr Smith had gone to Hillsborough with his stepdad and his brother on the day tragedy struck.

He said he could remember his legs being crushed on the terraces and his stepdad lifting him up.

He was then passed over people's heads and the mystery man who placed Joe on his shoulders can be seen on the documentary plucking him from the crowd.