Media personality Ryan Fitzgerald has revealed the heartbreakingly honest message he sent to Tex Walker after discovering the footy star’s first child was stillborn.
Walker, the Adelaide Crows captain, and his partner Ellie Brown were expecting a baby in March, but the tragic news was announced last month.
Fitzgerald, who played one season for the AFL club, opened up on how he and his wife Belinda were told she had miscarried a decade ago.
‘Devastated mate. You can never prepare yourself for something like that,’ Fitzgerald wrote to Walker, he revealed to Fiveaa Radio on Monday.
Tex Walker and his Ellie Brown (pictured before the Brownlow Awards) were devastated when their first child was stillborn
‘Devastated mate. You can never prepare yourself for something like that,’ Fitzgerald wrote to Walker
Ryan Fitzgerald opened up on his own devastating loss and spoke of how he and wife Belinda (pictured together) were told they had lost their first child a decade ago
‘BJ and I lost Cayley-Jay, our little girl 10 years ago. A tragedy but also the most defining part of our relationship, Tex.
‘It brought us closer and it made the birth of Huey so much more special, that will happen to you and Ellie – I promise you.
‘Always here if you need, mate. Sending all our love to you both, the Fitzgeralds.’
The Adelaide Crows captain and his partner Ellie were expecting a baby in March, but the heartbreaking news was announced last month
Fitzgerald said Walker responded: ‘Thanks guys I bloody appreciate it.’
Fitzgerald said on the station’s ‘Conversations with Cornesy’ program he and Belinda were told their first child had died when she was 20 weeks pregnant.
‘Unfortunately it was past the point where a termination could happen straight away. We had to deliver Cayley-Jay… It was a very tough moment,’ he said.
In August, Walker’s teammate and close friend Rory Sloane and his TV presenter wife Belinda Riverso revealed they too had lost their first child.
Walker’s teammate Rory Sloane and his TV presenter wife Belinda Riverso (pictured together) also lost their first child in August
Taylor Walker and Rory Sloane celebrate a Crows win over the West Coast Eagles in 2015
Fitzgerald said Walker responded to his text message: ‘Thanks guys I bloody appreciate it’
‘Last week we said goodbye to our beautiful little man. Leo Rory Sloane was born into the world still, but perfect,’ the Crows champion wrote on Instagram.
Fitzgerald at the time took to Twitter to say he was ‘devastated about the loss’.
‘Rory and Bel are outstanding humans with an even better support base, this is vital in the healing process,’ he wrote.
‘Footy seems so insignificant in a moment like this, it puts everything back into perspective.’
Rory Sloane and his wife Belinda (pictured together) wrote on social media in August that their son Leo Rory was stillborn
Both Walker and Sloane were granted leave from pre-season training, but have since returned to the track.
Walker and his partner are yet to publicly speak of the tragedy.
Ellie shared a photo of herself and Walker on Instagram last week, which she captioned: ‘Thank you for everything you do, and everything that you are.’
Fitzgerald at the time took to Twitter to say he was ‘devastated about the loss’ of Sloane and Belinda’s first child
Sloane and Belinda revealed their son Leo was tragically stillborn with this Instagram post
Ellie shared this photo of herself and Walker on Instagram last week, which she captioned: ‘Thank you for everything you do, and everything that you are’