A bereft husband and father has revealed how his lost the love of his life and newborn daughter within 15 hours.
Craig Renton’s wife Heidi had no complications in pregnancy and the couple were so excited to be having a child together with Mrs Renton holding a baby shower just before her death.
But eight days before her due date on August 4 this year Mrs Renton suffered pains in her chest and on the way to hospital had a seizure and passed out.
An ambulance then took her to Kings Mill Hospital in Sutton-in-Ashfield where she was taken into the resuscitation suite while her husband waited outside.
Craig Renton has revealed how his wife Heidi (pictured together) and their newborn daughter both died in Aurgust
Craig Renton’s wife Heidi had no complications in pregnancy and the couple were so excited to be having a child together with Mrs Renton holding a baby shower for Isabella (left) just before her death
Mr Renton knew something was badly wrong but it became worse when doctors and nurses emerged from the room in tears.
Heartbroken husband and father’s message
Craig and Heidi on their wedding day
Craig Renton told friends to ‘never take anything for granted’ in the aftermath of Heidi and Isabella’s deaths.
He said: ‘Treasure every moment good and bad.
‘Hug your partner that little bit longer. Read that extra bed time story to your children.
‘Make time for your family.
‘If your ever thinking should you do something or not, just do it.
‘Have no regrets.
‘That’s how Heidi lived and that’s why I adore her so much.
‘I will not be saying good bye to Heidi and Isabella today as they will be forever in my heart’.
He told the Mirror: ‘One sat with me and said something I’ll never forget. ‘I’m sorry your wife has died’. But then he added: ‘Would you like to meet your baby girl’.
Craig then went to see his wife’s body and told her he loved her and was proud of her before ringing her parents to tell them they had lost their daughter but gained a granddaughter called Isabella
But as her family rushed to hospital there was more terrible news when scans on the baby showed she had no brain activity after being starved of oxygen when her mother fell ill and would die within a few hours.
He said: ‘For three hours, she was on a ventilator and then I made the decision to turn it off. She died peacefully in my arms at 15 hours old. Although I only knew her for 15 hours I grew to love her so much.
‘She and Heidi were, and always will be, the loves of my life.’
Now Craig is raising money for Nottingham Hospitals Charity in memory of Heidi and Isabella.
Heidi ran the Nottingham half marathon with her work colleagues from the Nottingham Radiography department and the cause was close to her heart.
He has already raised £11,000 but hopes to get even more donations by telling his heartbreaking story.
In a message on Facebook he wrote: ‘The most important thing for me is that for the last 9 years there hasn’t been a day where I didn’t tell Heidi how much I loved her and how beautiful she was, so I can be sure she knew just how much I loved her and how much I always will.
Baby Isabella is held by Craig during her short life and her proud father says he was completely in love with his wife and daughter
Craig Renton left this message for friends and family urging them to treasure every minute of life with those they love
‘Heidi gave me 9 years of excitement and happiness, she was a gorgeous, funny, caring, fiesty woman who knew exactly how to live life. Enjoying times together with family and friends. We never stopped to think if we should do something, we just did it.
‘I have enough memories to last me a lifetime. I am going to take Heidi’s zest for life forward with me and make sure that I do her proud.
‘I may be slightly biased, but she gave me the most beautiful baby girl I have ever seen in my life, Isabella. Although her time was short, I loved her so much and will never forget her’.