The family of Angus youngster Blake McMillan have revealed they are expecting a new baby in a heartwarming end to their devastating 2020.
Blake was just seven when he died in February following a lifelong battle against the rare genetic condition, MECP2 duplication syndrome.
He passed away at Rachel House in Kinross, days after the family’s heartbreaking decision to switch off his life support machine.
But the pain of a first Christmas without Blake has been eased by mum Jenny Howe’s news she and husband, James, are looking forward to a new arrival at the start of summer.
Their first child together will be a sibling for Blake’s 11-year-old sister, Faye.
Jenny, 44, shared the pregnancy news in a Facebook post which has generated a huge response.
Posting a baby scan photo and a picture of the pram which was Blake’s, Jenny wrote: “I’m very glad I hung onto this beautiful Silver Cross pram all these years, because next May/June, there will be another little bundle getting to enjoy it.
“James, Faye, Blake and I are delighted to announce we are soon going to be a family of 5.
“We could not be happier.
“After what has been the toughest year of our lives, we are ending it with some wonderful and happy news.”
Jenny said: “For us it is a lovely end to a really horrible year.”
She also thanked the people who had kept Blake in their thoughts since his passing.
“I always shared a lot of memories about Blake and how I was feeling,” said Jenny.
“It was always very comforting to us as a family how nice people were.
“If you’ve lost someone so close in the way we did with Blake you never want to think of them as being forgotten.
“But it has been so nice to see that people still remember him so much.”
New arrival will use treasured pram
And the mum-to-be revealed the particular poignancy of looking forward to putting the new baby in the special Silver Cross.
“It was Blake’s pram and because of his condition he was in it for longer than most babies would be,” added Jenny.
“It was like a downstairs bed for him and I was devastated when he got too big for it.
“It is nice to have that and I’m glad we kept it.”
She said they broke the happy news with close family in the lead up to Christmas – having moved house just a week before the big day.
Jenny said the family is now looking forward to a peaceful few months in the lead up to the new addition arriving.
But she has pledged to continue her support for the organisations which helped Blake through his illness and in the final stages of his young life.
During September, Jenny raised more than £1,000 taking part in a virtual run challenge for Children’s Hospices Across Scotland.
“We had such incredible support from Rachel House at the end of Blake’s life and I really felt I wanted to do something for them,” she said.
“During Blake’s life my main focus was on raising funds and awareness for the work to find a cure for MECP2 duplication syndrome.
“I made a lot of close friends through that and their little boys and girls mean so much to me, so I will never turn my back on fundraising for that.”
Blake’s February funeral at Panbride Church was a celebration of the brave boy’s life.
His favourite Disney songs rang through the balloon-decorated kirk and Carlogie’s head teacher Judith Reid penned a special piece on behalf of the Blake’s school pals.
It read: “All Carlogie children loved Blake and recognised just how special he was.
“Blake has left a definite imprint in the hearts and minds of all of us at Carlogie and will never, ever be forgotten.”
He was laid to rest at Carnoustie’s Shanwell Cemetery.
