Russell Howard has revealed that his baby son Felix died shortly after birth earlier this year.
The comedian shared the heartbreaking family news on Instagram on Friday morning. He and his wife, Cerys, are now creating a foundation in their son’s memory.
Russell wrote: “Earlier this year, our family changed forever when our beautiful baby boy, Felix, died shortly after birth.”
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Russell Howard announces son’s death in emotional post
He continued: “During the most devastating time of our lives, the hospital staff who cared for us showed extraordinary compassion, kindness and humanity. They helped us navigate an unimaginable heartache and gave us support when we needed it most.
“We were assigned a bereavement midwife, Lauren, who had experienced a similar tragedy. After losing her own baby, Lauren retrained as a midwife so that she could help other families going through what she had been through.”
Russell explained that “her care meant more to us than we can ever put into words,” adding: “During our time in hospital, Felix was placed in a cool cot, which meant that my wife and I were able to spend precious hours with our beautiful boy. We could hold him, talk to him and tell him just how much we loved him.”
“Those hours are among the most precious memories we have of Felix,” he said.
“We were overwhelmed by the care we received, and we made a promise to each other: that we would try to help other families who find themselves facing the same devastating circumstances.”
Russell announces Felix Foundation
The Felix Foundation aims to support families affected by miscarriage, premature birth, stillbirth or neonatal death. Its proposed work also covers other bereavements connected with those experiences. The project was inspired by the compassionate care received after Felix’s death.
The foundation’s plans include yearly grants for midwives seeking extra training in specialist bereavement care. Those grants could help professionals access resources, including counselling qualifications.
Emotional support and practical help also form part of the planned work. The organisation aims to fund dedicated rooms, equipment and facilities within hospitals, maternity units and neonatal units. These resources would support babies’ care while protecting the wellbeing and dignity of families.
It also intends to offer information, guidance and signposting to people affected by loss. Another goal is raising awareness of late miscarriage, premature birth, stillbirth and neonatal loss. The couple also want affected siblings and other close relatives to receive support.
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