Ex-footballer’s invite to walk in son’s memory
AN ex footballer who tragically lost his son 48 hours before his due date invited people to join him on a picturesque walk in his memory.
Former Rochdale AFC footballer Joe Thompson, who twice battled back from cancer to play for his boyhood hometown club, and his wife Chantelle last year revealed the heartbreaking loss of their baby boy named Dre Phoenix.
In April Joe and Chantelle, who are parents to daughter Thailula Lily, revealed they are expecting a ‘natural miracle baby’ due in August after years of IVF.
Joe, who twice battled back from cancer to play for his boyhood hometown club Rochdale, said in May 2021 their son Dre’s heart had stopped beating before he was born.
Joe and his family and their friends at Bespoke Health insurance specialists who he says are ‘practically my family’ undertook a sponsored 13.5km walk around Dove Stone and Chew reservoirs in Oldham on Sunday July 3 for SANDS (Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Charity). And he said anyone was welcome to join them in tribute to other ‘angel babies’ like Dre.
“The walk is for a charity called SANDS and I’m sure not very many people will know what that charity is and the good work that they do and that’s a good thing,” says Joe in a heartfelt Instagram post. “But the harsh reality is that so many families like myself have tragically had stillborns.”
He explained: “We lost our baby boy 48 hours before his due date and Sands us is a wonderful charity that reduces number of babies dying and provides crucial support to the families affected by such heartbreak. The support that it provided for me and my family dealing with bereavement was priceless and it’s our way and the bespoke way of giving back.”
In a social media post inspirational Joe - who retired in 2019 after announcing he had ‘battled through some of life’s hardest challenges, and managed to overcome them’ - shared the happy news of their ‘miracle baby’ an image of beaming Chantelle and Thailula Lily, together with a hospital scan.
The 33-year-old former Dale midfielder and winger said in a Twitter post: “Miracles do happen.
“After cancer twice, a stem cell transplant, years of IVF and the heartbreaking loss of our baby boy Dre last May.
“We’ve been blessed with a natural miracle baby! I never make promises I can’t keep! Happy Tears.”
And on Instagram he said they were told a natural pregnancy wouldn’t be possible because of the stem cell transplant he underwent.
He posted: “Baby Thompson due in August. Connecting your emotion to your vision, results in miracles. After years of IVF and the heartbreaking loss of our son Dre last year.
“We have been blessed with a natural miracle baby!
“Never let anyone define your destiny they said it can not be done!
“They said a natural pregnancy wouldn’t be possible after a stem cell replacement but here we are defying the odds! The rise of the Phoenix.”
Joe, a former Manchester United youth player who also turned out for Tranmere Rovers and Bury, beat nodular sclerosis Hodgkin lymphoma in 2014 after six months of chemotherapy.
But in March 2017 he confirmed that the cancer had returned after a tumour was found on his chest.
He stopped playing while he underwent more treatment - including a stem cell transplant - and was told he was in complete remission again after fighting back with the support of his wife, daughter, then Rochdale manager Keith Hill and his team-mates. He returned to football - and Rochdale - in December 2017.
At Spotland, Joe will always be remembered for his fairytale strike against Charlton Athletic in May 2018, which kept Rochdale in League One and sent rivals Oldham Athletic down to League Two - a goal he said ‘meant the world to me.’
He made his debut in May 2006 before signing professional terms and in total, made 182 appearances for Rochdale, scoring 19 goals. ●