8 December 2025
Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice have supported Bekki and her family since her son Ronnie died from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) on the 2nd of May 2022 when he was less than two months old.
Bekki and her daughters, Jaylah, aged 15, Lexi, aged 12, Savannah, aged 8 and Alayah, aged 6, receive all kinds of support from us, including bereavement counselling, art therapy and specialist play. They also take part in our bereaved sibling group and come to our Family Activity Events. The family also received a garden makeover in 2024 from our corporate partner, Taylor Wimpey. After moving into a new house, their garden was full of potential hazards and was significantly affecting their ability to settle into their new home. Spending time outdoors in a safe environment is crucial for all children, but it was imperative that these girls had somewhere to be active and just be children. Taylor Wimpey created a multi-contractor project plan to turn the garden from no-go area to a clean, safe and beautiful space for the whole family.
We spoke to Bekki about the circumstances of Ronnie’s death: ‘When Ronnie was born, it was all very surreal. I had the flu not long before, and I'd been having consistent contractions and pain. He was baby number five, but something just didn't quite feel right. The next thing I remember, there were doctors surrounding me in the C-section room and within minutes he was out and screaming. They wrapped him up and brought him to me on the bed, then he was taken off to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). I remember that he was born a bit jaundiced and his dummy being so tiny, it looked ridiculous. It just felt really surreal that he was finally here.’
Bekki goes on to talk about how Ronnie’s personality shone through, even at such a young age. She says: ‘Ronnie was cheeky and such a smiler. He was forever pulling off his wires and pulling out his NG (Nasogastric Tube). The nurses on the unit would always say that he was the best dressed baby on the unit because every single outfit had a matching vest.’
Bekki talks about how she felt when she took Ronnie home, she says: Bringing him home on Easter Sunday was just the best feeling, to walk out with him and set up his car seat. Finally, seeing his siblings hold him and everyone just wanted to feed him and take pictures with him. It was one of the best times of my life and just the pride of thinking - look what I did.’
Not long after Bekki brought Ronnie home, things started to change, Bekki says: ‘I remember feeding him around 4am, burping him, falling back to sleep and waking up an hour later. I looked at him and knew something was wrong. I grabbed him and ran into the front room to start CPR and then screamed for my oldest daughter Jayla to ring an ambulance and they were there within five minutes. I just kept running in and out of the room because I couldn't watch what they were doing to him.’
The attempts at resuscitation were unsuccessful, Bekki says: ‘I knew what she was going to tell me, that there was nothing more they could do and that they were going to stop. Someone I knew contacted Noah’s Ark and they took Ronnie.’
Carys Williams, Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice’s Bereavement Support Manager said: ‘I remember meeting Bekki for the first time so clearly. She walked into The Ark, and she looked absolutely haunted, as anybody would when their baby has just died. After Ronnie died, he came to The Ark and spent a few days in our Butterfly Suite, and we were able to give the family a little bit more time with him.’ Carys reflects on the breadth of bereavement support offered to Bekki and says: ‘I was in touch with Bekki a lot, weekly phone calls, lots of home visits, and also supporting her with all sorts of practical things. She leant on us heavily, which is what we want with families. We want them to access all the support that we can give them.’
Bekki says of her first experience of The Ark: ‘I was holding him as we walked through the doors, and we went down to the Butterfly Suite. It was such a lovely room with a little moses basket and toys, books and a projector that made stars on the ceiling. I laid him down and he looked so peaceful. It kind of gave us a sense of normality, to be able to put him into his own clothes, it made it feel more real, but it also made it feel more like him. Being at The Ark gave us time to process what had happened.’
Noah’s Ark provides bereavement therapy for three years and three months after the loss of a child, so we will be saying goodbye the family soon. Bekki reflects on the support she has received and says: ‘Noah’s Ark have gone above and beyond for us and made our lives feel a little less like they’ve fallen apart and that we can put ourselves back together again. I try to make the most of every day and be happy - because I’m not living life just for me, I’m living it for Ronnie too.’
