Baby joy for woman whose hearing story inspired book
A WOMAN whose inspiring story of hearing for the first time touched the hearts of millions has given birth to her first child.
Jo Milne, who was born deaf but received cochlea implants in 2014, became a mum on Saturday as her baby boy arrived six weeks early.
Edward Alexander, or “Teddy”, was born at 6.10pm by emergency Caesarean at Gateshead’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital to Jo and her partner Stephen White.
Announcing the happy news on Facebook, Stephen said 5lb 4oz Teddy was now in the special care baby unit after his early arrival, adding that their little bundle of joy was “in the best of hands” and in a “stable” condition.
The proud new dad wrote: “Joanne is recovering well, just overwhelmed at his sudden arrival, how beautiful he looks and the immense love we feel for him already.”
He also paid tribute to the “truly humbling” NHS staff who helped bring Teddy into the world.
Jo, of Gateshead, hit the limelight three years ago in a viral video capturing the lifechanging moment she was able to hear for the first time.
Jo was born deaf and was filmed as her hearing implants were switched on following the surgery.
The moving scenes of her being overcome with emotion on hearing what is said to her for the first time went viral and turned the unassuming woman from Low Fell into an internet sensation.
Jo had also been hit by a rare eye disorder called Usher syndrome at the age of 29 and, in a cruel quirk of fate, she suffered deteriorating eyesight just as she was coming to terms with a new wonderful world of sound.
She talks about the battle to save her vision in her inspiring book Breaking the Silence, published in 2015.