Gay Couple Heartbroken After Losing Beloved Son 1 Week Past His First Birthday (Photo)
- Leigh and Justin Khoo battled for years to get approved for a surrogate baby and were overjoyed when their son Owen was born
- Despite being born prematurely and with a diagnosis of retinopathy of prematurity, Owen was able to overcome his tough start in life
- Owen's sudden and tragic death from meningococcal disease just one week after his first birthday left the couple shattered
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A gay couple has sent an important message to parents after tragically losing their beloved son to a deadly disease just one week after his first birthday.
Source: UGC
The Melbourne dads, Leigh and Justin Khoo, were overjoyed when their son Owen was born last March.
According to Daily Mail, the couple had a years-long battle to get approved for a surrogate baby.
Gay couple mourn son
He was born prematurely at just 29 weeks, weighed just 1.44kg, and was diagnosed with retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), meaning he suffered blindness from birth.
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With the support of his parents, Owen was able to overcome his tough start in life and blossomed into a healthy baby that no longer relied on any treatment.
But during the early hours of March 14, just one week after his first birthday, the two were shocked to find Owen unconscious in his cot.
The one-year-old was diagnosed with meningococcal, a deadly and contagious disease that can cause the head and spine to inflame.
Owen had only a mild fever in the 48 hours before he was admitted to the hospital, already suffering from sepsis, with the diagnosis coming as a shock.
His fingers shrunk and turned blue, sparking fears they would have to be amputated, with the inflammation of his head causing multiple brain hemorrhages and clots.
After four difficult days in the hospital, Owen passed away on March 17.
His parents took to Instagram to share the sad news with loved ones, revealing the infant had died of the aggressive W strain of meningococcal.
"As a result of the infection and aftermath of the sepsis/inflammation to his tiny body, it ultimately caused severe brain damage, where Owen was not able to recover or sustain life with any treatment there on," they wrote in a long post.
Adding that:
"Justin and I got to hold Owen right up until his last breath and I know he feels all the love from everyone who knew him, and we know that he is now at peace in Heaven."
Gay couple welcomes baby girl born through surrogate
Elsewhere, a US gay couple who exchanged vows in a gorgeous wedding ceremony welcomed a bouncy baby girl.
On Friday, March 31, the delighted parents announced their healthy bundle of joy was born via surrogate.
The couple's loved ones could not contain their joy after seeing a photo of them posing with their princess.
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Source: TUKO.co.ke
Nathaniel Crabbe (Human-Interest editor) Nathaniel Crabbe is a journalist and editor with a degree in Journalism from the Ghana Institute of Journalism, where he graduated in 2015. He earned his master's from UPSA in December 2023. Before becoming an editor/writer of political/entertainment and human interest stories at Asaase Radio, Crabbe was a news reporter at TV3 Ghana. With experience spanning over ten years, he now works at YEN.com.gh as a human interest editor. You can reach him via nathaniel.crabbe@yen.com.gh.
Aba Afful (Copyeditor) Maame Aba serves as a copy editor at YEN.com.gh. She naturally enjoys working with words and has an eye for quality content. She has a keen interest in cyberspace and wants to see YEN.com.gh produce more impactful, thought-provoking, and error-free content. Aba has five years of experience as a content writer, blogger, author, and proofreader. She graduated from the Ghana Institute of Journalism in 2017. She joined the team in 2021.
