Former Australian international cricketer Fawad Ahmed has shared the heartbreaking news that his four-month-old son has died.
The 41-year-old and his wife became parents for the second time when the boy was born in June.
But the infant lived at the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne for months as test after test followed in a bid to diagnosis why he was unwell.
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Ahmed announced on Monday that his son had lost his battle.
“Till we meet again my little angel,” he wrote.
“Unfortunately after a long struggle my little man has lost the painful and tough fight.
“I believe you are in a better place, we will miss you so much.
“I hope no one ever goes through this pain.”
Ahmed, who became an international cricketer after leaving his native Pakistan and settling in Australia at the age of 28 in 2010, had shared his newborn son’s health issues last month.
“It’s a tough time, to be honest,” he told the Cricket Australia website.
“We don’t know what’s going to happen. Neither do the doctors. It’s pretty bad. You want to know. This is something that is aching the heart.”
The boy had been growing and surgery on his jaw, in a bid to help with breathing issues, took place after he reached 3kg.
Problems remained, however, and his eyesight became a fresh concern.
“It’s something that’s so unexpected,” Ahmed said at the time.
“You’re excited, you’re happy about the birth of your child, and then suddenly you go to some dark places, and you don’t know what’s going to happen.
“Our lives have completely changed. Every morning, we just wake up and get ready to go to the hospital. Then in the evening, we come back. That’s it, nothing else.”
Ahmed was in the midst of planning a move from his long-term home in Newport to Coburg, where they had bought a house to renovate for their growing family, when their son was born.
The months afterwards were instead spent making regular trips to bond with the boy and speak with his doctors and nurses.
Ahmed said it had been difficult managing the family’s wellbeing, particularly for their three-year-old daughter who couldn’t understand.
“We don’t want to lose her while looking after the little fella. But it’s winter, such less time to go out … I don’t want her to get sick,” the cricketer said.
“So we are trying, but it’s getting harder. This afternoon she just wanted to play outside, play soccer with me, but it was cold and windy, and we had to go to the hospital. She was so upset.
“I love her so much. She’s an absolute legend. She loves me as well, and it’s such a good feeling.”
Ahmed recently re-signed with his first Australian cricket club Hoppers Crossing.
He said last month he hoped to continue in the Big Bash League, having played for the Melbourne Renegades last summer.
Ahmed made five international appearances for Australia in 2013.
He reconnected with the team as a spin consultant on last year’s Test tour of Pakistan.
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