An Adelaide couple has shared an emotional tribute to their four-month-old son who tragically died in his sleep last week.
Jayden Ward went to bed on Friday night with his son by his side while his wife, Dee-Jayee was having surgery. When he woke the next morning he found his son wasn’t breathing.
Speaking to news.com.au, Mr Ward admitted that he hadn’t realised his son had passed until he touched him.
‘I grabbed his forehead and felt it was stone cold. I had picked him up and I screamed ‘bubba’ multiple times,’ he recalled.
Once paramedics were called, Mr Ward performed CPR for two minutes in a desperate attempt to resuscitate his son.
Emergency services arrived shortly afterwards but sadly, baby Bronlee couldn’t be revived.
While the coroner’s report stated the reason for the baby’s death was inconclusive, Mr Ward has revealed that preliminary reports suggest Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) as the cause.
Speaking about the heart-wrenching moment he had to deliver the news to his wife, Mr Ward said he struggled to find the courage to tell her.
‘The whole ride to the hospital a million scenarios ran through my head and it was still probably one of the hardest things I had done,’ he said.
Describing it at the worst day of her life, Mrs Ward said she dropped to the floor upon hearing the news.
In a moving tribute posted to her Facebook page, Mrs Ward described Bronlee as the light of their lives.
‘I hope you’re still smiling away in heaven baby boy, I’m so happy you passed peacefully in your sleep my baby boy, I’m glad you never felt pain anger or sadness!,’ she wrote.
A GoFundMe has been set up for the family to help with funeral costs.
The heartbroken parents are now hoping to raise awareness of SIDS.
‘If we can help raise enough awareness and prevent even just one family from going through this pain, it will help ease us,’ they said.
According to Red Nose Australia, SIDS is the sudden and unexpected death of an infant under one year of age with an onset of a fatal episode occurring during sleep.
It’s reported that 3000 babies, toddlers and preschoolers due suddenly and unexpectedly each year.
For support, please call:
Guiding Light on 1300 308 307 or email [email protected]
Lifeline on 13 11 14
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