Keishen Bean will dedicate his debut season with Canadian club Ottawa Fury to his step mom who is recovering in hospital from a life-threatening illness.

The big-hearted Bermudian hopes his loving gesture will be an inspiration to his step mom, Tammy Bean, who has always encouraged him to pursue his football dreams.

Bean, 22, has vowed to use her courage and bravery as a source of motivation. "I will be dedicating this season to my step mother Tammy Bean who is in a Boston hospital recovering from a life-threatening illness," he said.

"My family have been going through a hard time and I want her to recover. She has really pushed me to chase my dream of becoming a professional footballer."

The North Village player believes he will hit the ground running when he joins up with his new Fury team-mates later this week after being put through his paces by his fitness fanatic godfather – and former national team coach – Kenny Thompson.

Bean expects to be deployed as a playmaker and pull the strings for Fury with coach Stephen O'Kane looking to give him freedom to use his creative flair.

"I'm leaving later this week for Ottawa and I've been doing personal training with my godfather Kenny Thompson as well as training with the Bermuda Under-23 national team," said the full international.

"I'm in the best shape I have been since Village lifted the Triple Crown back in 2006.

"Our first match of the season is on May 15 and I'm looking to joining up with my new team-mates. I'm hoping that I can meet up with Tumani Steede's Reading Rage in the Professional Development League (PDL) playoffs.

"I chose Ottawa because they play free flowing attacking football and they're looking to play me as a playmaker behind the strikers."

Bean, who played for Bermuda Hogges last season, attends Cape Breton University in Canada along with compatriots Jason Davis, Shayne Hollis, Ian Coke, Antonio Lowe and Seion Darrell – with Devonshire Cougars pair Darius Cox and Randy Robinson set to join them in the autumn.

Fury are part of the PDL, which is increasingly being used by Bermuda's ambitious young players as a springboard into the professional game.

Earlier this year Tyrell Burgess signed for USL-D1 club Vancouver Whitecaps on the back of his standout performances last season for Rage, who recently snapped up Cougars' Steede.