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"Our angel": AFL star's devastating family news

<p>Melbourne Demons veteran Tom McDonald and his wife Ruby have shared their heartbreak, after daughter Goldie was stillborn at 20 weeks. </p> <p>The couple shared the devastating news in an Instagram post on Wednesday, alongside a a black and white photo of the pair cradling the tiny tot in hospital.</p> <p>"At 11.55pm on Sunday night, 21st of January our gorgeous Goldie Joan McDonald was born sleeping and became our angel above," the caption read. </p> <p>"Watching over us and her siblings until we meet again in wonderland.</p> <p>"We are truly heartbroken to have lost our baby girl at 20 weeks, but know that she will be forever and always with us all," they added. </p> <p>"Thank you to everyone who has and continues to support our family, we will never be able to thank you enough for your kindness, love and care. </p> <p>"Please be patient with us as we navigate life without our Goldie girl in our arms."</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/C2dzDF_Plhu/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C2dzDF_Plhu/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by RUBY MCDONALD (@rubymcdonald___)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>A few football figures took to the comments to pay their respects. </p> <p>"Thinking of you guys and sending you all the love and strength," footballer Nathan Jones wrote. </p> <p>Fellow Melbourne Demons star Steven May and midfielder Christian Petracca commented love heart emojis, while Western Bulldogs player Oskar Baker commented: "Thinking of you guys ❤️"</p> <p>The couple are parents to daughter Bella, four, and son Leo, two.</p> <p><em>Image: Instagram</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Grieving mother of stillborn baby shocked by friend’s insensitive request

<p>A mother who recently suffered a stillbirth at just 29 weeks has shared her horrifying story to the<span> </span>Choosing Beggars Subreddit.</p> <p>“I didn’t want to put this out here, but I have no choice,” the woman wrote on her Facebook page.</p> <p>“(Name crossed out) bought me some beautiful gifts for Benjamin for when he was born.</p> <p>“A soft fleece blanket, cuddly elephant, booties, some clothes and a singing toy.</p> <p>“I didn’t ask for these things; as I said, they were gifts.”</p> <p>The poster went on to explain her son Benjamin came into this world stillborn.</p> <p>“A week later (Name crossed out) messages me asking if Benjamin used or touched the things she bought because if not … she wanted them back!” the woman said.</p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7839056/mother-stillborn-sad-2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/7655a5d4ab3e423ab9141b3da884cc8d" /></p> <p>The screenshots of the messages were provided by the woman, clearly in disbelief.</p> <p>“Hey, hun just wondering if u used the bits n bobs I got for the baby?” she wrote. “If not I can give them to Laura’s little one. Hope your [sic] OK and resting up hun?”</p> <p>She then followed up with another message.</p> <p>“Let me know hun before I buy more stuff, save a bit of money before Xmas, you know how it is.”</p> <p>Finally, the grieving mother responded.</p> <p>“I’m not doing OK,” she replies.</p> <p>“I’m heartbroken.”</p> <p>“I can’t believe you’re asking me at the moment, but yes I still have the things except for the blanket, he will be buried with it because it is warm and I thought it was stunning. I mean … I hope that’s OK for you?!?”</p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7839057/mother-stillborn-sad-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/5ee618fed9964347bb13692f9d10aa12" /></p> <p>While many would have stopped while they were ahead, the friend clearly did not get the message.</p> <p>“Aww hun, sorry I know its [sic] a tough time, I’m sorry,” she wrote. “I just needed to know before I spend anymore, is there a chance you have another blanky for him babe?</p> <p>“Like you said its [sic] nice and warm and Laura’s baby can have use of that.”</p> <p>“I’ve been having a tough time myself lately so I’m here online and on my phone all the time for u if you need to chat,” she then added.</p> <p>“Let me know though about the blanket quickly though.”</p> <p>While the woman ignored the message from her friend, the texts would not stop.</p> <p>“What if I popped round tomorrow?” she wrote. “I can pick it up then babe.”</p> <p>This finally provoked a response from the poor mother.</p> <p>“No! Don’t come here, please,” she wrote. “The blanket is in with Benjamin!</p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height:281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7839058/mother-stillborn-sad.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/9ba7a5144e7e4806a68d8388f04985b7" /></p> <p>“You can have the rest (of the things) I’ll drop them off at yours, don’t even think of coming here. My husband is fuming with these messages you are sending me a week after I lose my baby.</p> <p>“They’re packed in a bag … I’ll leave them at yours. The blanket is with Benjamin he is having ‘use’ out of it thank you very much.”</p> <p>The friend responded again, this time defending herself.</p> <p>Reddit users took to the comments to bash the “friend” who had wanted the items returned.</p> <p>“Imagine harassing a grieving mother over stuff that amounts to pocket change,” one person wrote.</p> <p>“I hope the woman blocks her out of her life entirely,” another aid.</p> <p>“Wow … what a garbage human.”</p> <p>The poster informed the reddit chain she has since cut the friend off completely.</p>

Relationships

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Ada Nicodemou's ex-husband shares heartbreaking tribute to stillborn son

<p>Ada Nicodemou’s ex-husband Chrys Xipolitas has shared a touching tribute to their stillborn son, Harrison, on what would have been his  fifth birthday.</p> <p>“A part of me died on this day!” Xipolitas wrote in a post on Wednesday. “Eternally grateful for the 2 beautiful healthy children I have. Not a day goes by where I don’t think what if? Today you would of turned 5.”</p> <p>The couple lost their second son on August 7, 2014 after the baby died in a stillbirth.</p> <p>Following the loss, Nicodemou took a two-month leave from <em>Home and Away</em>. </p> <p>“We understand we have lived some of our lives in the public eye. But we respectfully ask for privacy at this difficult and extremely painful time so we can grieve and heal,” Nicodemou and Xipolitas said in a statement at the time.</p> <p>A month after Harrison’s death, the actress posted a poem on her Instagram account. </p> <p>“I’ll never get to hear you laugh and giggle or see your little toes wiggle ... There are many things I will never get to do, but the hardest is not being with you,” the poem read.</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/s8w-X7GFaE/" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/s8w-X7GFaE/" target="_blank">@xippo74 and I would like to thank everyone for their love and support through a very difficult time. Thank You!</a></p> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/adanicodemou/" target="_blank"> Ada Nicodemou</a> (@adanicodemou) on Sep 14, 2014 at 7:30pm PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Nicodemou and Xipolitas split in 2016 after nine years of marriage. The pair shares son Johnas, who was conceived via in vitro fertilisation and born in 2012.</p>

Family & Pets

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“Never been the same since”: Labor’s Kristina Keneally breaks down over stillborn daughter

<p>A federal Labor senator has had an emotional breakdown as she revealed the tragic details of losing her newborn baby girl.</p> <p>Kristina Keneally’s daughter Caroline was a stillborn 20 years ago, with the politician saying the incident changed her family forever.</p> <p>Despite two decades passing, time hasn’t healed the immense pain the former NSW Premier feels as she teared up in a candid interview while recalling the devastating moment.</p> <p>“We had a funeral for her and buried her. And those days when you’re in the hospital, and you get to hold your child, but you know that you’ll never see her again,” the mother-of-three told<span> </span><em><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.9news.com.au/" target="_blank">Nine News</a>.</em></p> <p>“The thing that I struggle to come to grips with, is how going into pregnancy, I didn’t understand how often still birth occurs in Australia.”</p> <p>Senator Keneally also penned a heartfelt article for the<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.smh.com.au/" target="_blank"><em>Sydney Morning Herald</em></a>, speaking about her loss.</p> <p>“Her birth and death cleaved my life into before and after. The trauma, grief, sorrow and pain debilitated me for a time. Our family has never been the same. There is always a daughter, a sister, a granddaughter who is missing,” she wrote.</p> <p>“In the 20 years since I gave birth to Caroline, I have gone through guilt and grief, sorrow and depression, and often anger.”</p> <p>At the time, Keneally and her husband Ben’s eldest child Daniel was only 14-months-old. The couple were later blessed with a third child, Brendan.</p> <p>Australia’s figures for stillbirth is alarming, with close to 2,200 babies being affected each year.</p> <p>According to Stillbirth Foundation Australia, the reason for death is unknown in 40 per cent of cases.</p> <p>“For 20 years, Australia has paid almost no attention to this private tragedy that occurs on a significant scale,” she wrote.</p> <p>“We did not speak of this personal grief that thousands of Australian families experience each year. We did not ask why it happens, or if we could prevent it.”</p> <p>Now, the senator has dedicated her time to raising awareness for stillbirth, as she fights for improved research and education.</p>

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