Three years after the death of her sister Maddy Cusack, a former England youth international midfielder, Olivia Cusack remains determined to preserve her memory and ensure her legacy endures. On the anniversary of Maddy's death on 20 September 2023, Olivia joined approximately 15 family members and friends in a 29-mile walk from Bramall Lane, Sheffield United's stadium, to their family home in Horsley near Derby, to raise funds and awareness in her honour.
The family continues to await answers about the circumstances surrounding Maddy's death. An inquest into her death has been adjourned after eight days of evidence and is now scheduled to resume on 7 December 2026, following the discovery of additional medical-record documents. The 27-year-old Sheffield United player, who was the first to appear in 100 matches for the club's women's team, died under circumstances that remain the subject of formal investigation.
Maddy Cusack's inquest began at Chesterfield Coroner's Court on 29 June 2026 after multiple postponements. Assistant coroner Sophie Cartwright KC apologised to the family when she adjourned the hearing, acknowledging the frustration caused by the delays. The case had previously been scheduled to begin on 5 January 2026 following earlier postponements in 2025.
What motivated the anniversary walk?
The walk, titled "Bringing Maddy Home," was inspired by evidence presented during the inquest proceedings. Olivia explains that the event was designed to reclaim her sister's identity beyond her professional football career.
"After the inquest we wanted to bring her home from Bramall Lane, back to our family home," she says. "Many people know Maddy as the professional football player and the name on the back of her shirt, the number, the colours she wore, the club she was associated with. But I felt in the inquest it was lost that she was a person, she wasn't an object that we were discussing. She's a person, she's a family member of ours [and] a person that's sometimes been lost within the chaos surrounding her death really, so that's the notion behind the walk. To claim her back, bring her home and protect her."
The family set off from Sheffield at 5.30am on Saturday, retracing the reverse route of a previous fundraising walk held in February 2024 from Pride Park to Bramall Lane. The walk coincided with a minute's applause held before kick-off at the Women's Super League 2 fixture between Newcastle and Sheffield United on Sunday.
How is the family coping with the ongoing process?
The extended inquest process has been emotionally taxing for those close to Maddy. Olivia describes the experience as both confusing and frustrating, particularly given the length of time the investigation has taken.
"It's been really difficult," she says. "It's not something that any of us anticipated to happen. It's very confusing and it can be very frustrating, the length of time it's taken, it can be difficult to work that out and to know how you should be feeling and the process of it. However, we know that for the right outcome it has to be taken seriously. They need the time to come together and really get an outcome."
Despite the emotional toll, Olivia emphasises that remembering Maddy as a person—rather than focusing solely on the circumstances of her death—helps the family navigate their grief.
"We miss her the same every day, as I will on Sunday. The anniversary is always something that creeps up on us. It's very emotional and it's a time where we just reflect, but we do so much throughout the year so she really is at the heart of pretty much every single day. Not a day goes by where we don't think about her."
"There can be days when you just feel absolutely drained and you know you don't quite know what the right thing to do is, but I think the way that we just get through it is that we remember who she was as a person. She loved her life, she loved trying new things and just enjoying life's simple pleasures, we try and embody that on every day, not just the anniversary."
Olivia also expresses concern about the prolonged nature of the inquest process itself.
"It feels as though she can't be at peace until it's finished. And I do feel that's quite upsetting to think about and to work through. It needs to come to a conclusion."
What has the fundraising achieved?
The 29-mile walk raised funds for the Maddy Cusack Foundation, which supports causes targeting women's and girls' football and aims at ensuring girls are visible and valued within sport. By Saturday afternoon, donations had surpassed £1,100. Olivia expressed gratitude for the support, describing the total as
"incredible – £1,000 is just amazing, it's more than I ever expected."She added that the physical and mental challenge of the walk, combined with the significance of the anniversary, provided additional motivation to honour those who had donated.
The foundation has already made tangible contributions to the sport. It has provided Derby County Community Trust with a series of bursaries for girls and families facing financial barriers to pursuing football at a dedicated level.
"We provided Derby County Community Trust with a series of bursaries for girls and families who struggle with the financial prospects of becoming dedicated to their football. It's a helping hand for any child that needs that extra sort of funding, taking away the barriers that they might face."
The foundation has also partnered with Elite Football Development, an organisation founded by Stockport County left wing-back and former Derby, Sheffield United and Nottingham Forest defender Ben Osborn. This partnership focuses on inspiring young people through sport and education. The collaboration specifically sponsors the girls' side of Elite Football Development's work, which targets post-16 study and allows young women to gain qualifications while training and pursuing professional football careers.
"They work with girls and boys but we sponsor the girls' side of things, which is focused around post-16 study, and allows girls to gain qualifications alongside being able to train and live the life of a professional footballer. We were really keen to get involved in this as Maddy was really passionate about education."
What does Olivia want people to remember?
Olivia has a clear message for those wanting to honour Maddy's memory.
"I really do encourage people to, as difficult as it can be sometimes, share the photos, share the memories, bring her up in conversation wherever you can, talk about her, and between all of us, you know her legacy will live on."This appeal reflects the family's broader effort to ensure that Maddy is remembered not as a statistic or a case number, but as a vibrant person who loved life and made a meaningful impact on those around her.
What happens next?
The inquest is scheduled to resume on 7 December 2026 at Chesterfield Coroner's Court, where further evidence will be heard before any conclusion is reached. The family's wait for answers continues, but their commitment to keeping Maddy's memory alive—through fundraising, advocacy, and daily remembrance—remains unwavering.
If you are struggling with thoughts of suicide, support is available. In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123. In the US, you can call or text the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline on 988, chat online, or text 741741 to connect with a crisis counsellor. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at findahelpline.com.
