OUR LITTLE CHRISTMAS ‘MIRACLE’
NEW BABY BORN TO PARENTS WHO LOST SON JOSHUA TO CANCER AGED JUST 5 FULL STORY: PAGE 7
THE parents of a ‘superhero’ little boy who died from cancer are celebrating a surprise Christmas ‘miracle’ – the arrival of his beautiful baby brother.
Joshua McCormack’s fight against a rare brain tumour captured the hearts of the nation.
Sadly, after a long battle, he passed away aged five in January. His funeral brought an entire village to a standstill.
His parents, Nicola and Kevin McCormack, both 37, said Joshua had always wanted a little brother or sister to look after and play with.
The couple, from Whitworth in Rochdale, found out Nicola was pregnant in March and their ‘unexpected miracle’ Zachary Joshua Stellan was born healthy and happy on December 4, weighing 7lb 7oz.
Nicola has spoken of her joy at Zachary’s arrival – and sadness ahead of the family’s first Christmas without Joshua.
She said Zachary would be brought up knowing all about his much-loved big brother – and thanked the many thousands of people who have helped the family in the ‘darkest of times.’
Nicola told the M.E.N.: “It certainly has been emotional time for us all – 2017 has been a challenging year.
“Losing our beautiful Joshua at the beginning of the year, then the unexpected news of expecting an arrival in December.
“Past Christmases, when Joshua was well, he never asked for the abundance of presents most children ask for, but for a brother and sister.
“Although sadly we never fulfilled his wish, life certainly knows how to shock and challenge us as we found out we were unexpectedly expecting Joshua’s little brother.
“Joshua should be here to enjoy this special moment with us and be the big brother he always wanted to be.
“But our little miracle Zachary will be loved and cherished just as we loved and cherished his amazing superhero big brother Joshua.
“Zach is our purpose. Our reason to carry on.
“We love him so much and he is so precious.”
Nicola chronicled Joshua’s heartbreaking story on Facebook after he was diagnosed with a rare malignant brain tumour in October 2015.
He was dubbed a ‘superhero’ by thousands of people around the world who followed his fight with the disease on social media.
A huge Rochdale fan, the football club named Joshua as a substitute for a cup game with Hartlepool United in November last year – and he was even named as the recipient of the football league’s honorary player of the month award for November.
Nicola said fundraising for Derian House Children’s Hospice will continue in Joshua’s name and ‘JoshFest’ will be held in Whitworth on May 6 next year. The fun-filled event will raise money for charities, the day before what would have been his seventh birthday.