By Fiona Armstrong

A Dundee mother praised her “little stars” for helping the family return to normality after their father suffered a stroke last year.

Elaine Rey was pregnant when her husband Christopher (37) had a stroke and life was turned upside-down for children Ethan (9), Rebecca (8) and Joseph (4).

Mr Rey was the youngest person in Ninewell’s Stroke Unit, and his family feared for his life.

Elaine said, “It was a very difficult time for everyone, and made even harder by the fact that I was 26 weeks’ pregnant at the time.

Elaine added, “The situation was very upsetting for the children as it was hard for them to see their dad so sick and then to watch him recover.

“They were great at encouraging him by helping him to sit up first, then eventually to stand and then to walk.

“I think it was the children that kept us both going through the whole thing—they certainly gave him the encouragement he needed at the time.”

On June 20 last year, Elaine gave birth to the couple’s fourth child, Rachel.

She said, “I had a difficult pregnancy because of the stress of everything, but Rachel was born in June and the kids were a great help with her, too.

“Their dad is now doing really well—although he still has a slight weakness on the right side of his body. He went back to work in his job as a nurse in the Day Surgery Unit at Ninewells just after Christmas.

“The children really were rocks throughout the whole thing.”

The kids have been given an additional boost with the presentation of medals and certificates to mark their success in a summer reading challenge.

During the school holidays the Ley children took part in the BBC’s Breathing Places’ summer reading challenge—The Big Wild Read.

On Saturday they attended a presentation at Lochee library, where they were awarded medals and certificates by city councillor Tom Ferguson.

Elaine said, “We’re so proud of them for working so hard, and this has been quite an achievement for them.

“It was so nice to see the children getting back to normal and actually enjoying themselves.

“The whole reading scheme was a real family effort, and even 14-month-old Rachel took part—with mum’s help of course.

“For every book they read they were presented with a tree token as part of the Woodland Trust’s Tree For All campaign, so they’re all chuffed that they’ve done something good for the environment too.

“They have been wonderful and we are so proud of them for coping so well and getting back to everyday life.”