Krishan McDonagh lived with Duchenne muscular dystrophy and sadly died in October 2026 at the age of 28. His older brother Renford shares a tribute, highlighting how Krishan’s determination and achievements inspire him every day. And why he believes people living with muscle wasting conditions deserve every opportunity and form of support.
An honours degree, written on an iPhone: the extraordinary life of Krishan McDonagh
On 3 October 2026, my brother Krishan passed away at just 28 years old.
He lived with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, which gradually took away his physical abilities.
But there was something his condition never took away.
His intelligence. His ambitions. His determination to achieve things.
Krishan went to university.
For most students, completing assignments means sitting at a computer, researching, writing and editing their work.
For Krishan, even the act of typing presented an enormous challenge.
He couldn’t use a conventional keyboard.
So, he found another way.
He completed his university assignments using the Notes app on his iPhone.
Entire assignments. Written on a phone.
I can’t imagine the patience that required.
The concentration needed to write every sentence, correct every mistake and complete every piece of work.
The countless hours spent doing something that other students could undertake with far fewer physical challenges.
Krishan had to work extraordinarily hard simply to do what others could take for granted.
And what did he achieve?
He graduated with honours.
An honours degree is something to be proud of under any circumstances. But for Krishan, that qualification represented far more than academic achievement.
It represented determination, patience, intelligence and an extraordinary commitment to achieving something that mattered to him.
Yet his degree certificate could never tell the full story of what it took to earn it.
And perhaps that is something the world needs to understand.
Disability does not diminish intelligence, ambition, personality or potential.
A person’s physical abilities do not determine the value of their contribution or the significance of their achievements.
Krishan demonstrated that throughout his life.
But he was so much more than his condition or his qualifications.
He was a son, a brother, a friend and one of the kindest people you could hope to meet.
He loved his family, his friends and Liverpool Football Club.
He had his own interests, opinions, ambitions and things that made him happy.
He wanted the opportunities that every young person deserves.
To learn. To achieve. To enjoy life. To spend time with the people he loved.
And to have a future.
Duchenne muscular dystrophy made so many of those things more difficult.
Some of those difficulties could be overcome with patience, determination and adaptation. Others could not.
That distinction matters.
Krishan’s story should never be used to suggest that determination alone can overcome a progressive, life-limiting condition.
It cannot.
But his achievements demonstrate exactly why research, treatment, accessibility, specialist care and equal opportunities are so important.
Because behind every diagnosis is a person.
Someone with talents, interests and ambitions.
Someone with people who love them.
Someone with a life they deserve to live as fully as possible.
Krishan was one of those people.
And he deserved more time.
More opportunities to pursue his ambitions.
More Liverpool matches to enjoy.
More memories with his family and friends.
More life.
My brother Krishan proved what determination can achieve, and why people living with muscle wasting conditions deserve every opportunity and every possible form of support.
Every time I find myself taking something for granted, I’ll remember Krishan.
My brother, who couldn’t use a conventional keyboard but completed his university assignments on his iPhone.
I’ll remember that he graduated with honours.
And that behind that achievement was a remarkable person whose life meant so much more than his disability.
There is no excuse for underestimating someone because of the challenges they face.
And there should be no excuse for failing to give people the opportunities they deserve.
In memory of Krishan McDonagh (1998 – 2026).
You’ll Never Walk Alone.
