Aussie sporting star shares ‘mixed emotions’ over birth of twin daughters
There’s been an outpouring of support for Sydney Swans AFL player Gary Rohan, and his wife, after the couple welcomed their twin girls on Thursday.
“Our beautiful baby girls have arrived”, Rohan wrote in a caption next to a photo of the family of four on Instagram, before explaining that one had not survived.
Bella Rae was born a tiny 1780g (3lb 9oz), while little Willow Nevaeh weighed just 1295g (2lb 8oz) and only lived for five hours.
“Amie, Bella and I soaked up every second we had with Willow, making as many lasting memories as we could all together,” Rohan continued.
“Its (sic) those little moments we know we will never get back, and we will forever cherish the time we spent as our little family of four, before our darling Willow grew her little angel wings.”
Late last year when announcing the pregnancy, Rohan revealed that at their 11-week scan one of their daughters had been diagnosed with anencephaly, a usually fatal neural tube defect.
They had used the following weeks and months to come to terms with the idea that little Willow was unlikely to live. But he confessed it was still a heartbreaking situation.
“Yesterday was one off (sic) the hardest days Amie and I have ever had to deal with. It was a day full of many mixed emotions.”
“Bella is currently getting some special care in the NICU nursery but all in all doing very well.
“Our little angel Willow, oh how much you taught us in your precious 5 hours here ‘A life so brief, a child so small, you had the power to touch us all’.”
Rohan has been given time off from the Swans and won’t play in today’s match against the Western Bulldogs.