Sisters... for five days
Tragic girl, six, meets family’s new arrival just before she dies
Bursting with a big sister’s pride, Darcy could hardly contain her excitement as she welcomed baby Beatrice into the world.
But the sisters shared just five days together before six-year- old Darcy tragically died from a rare health condition she had suffered with since birth.
After her death in hospital, parents Kristian D’rosario and Emily nixon then spent five more ‘very special days’ together as a family of four with her body in a hospice.
the couple were able to sit with Darcy’s body in a temperature- controlled room, taking photographs and creating ‘artwork’ from moulds of her hands and feet.
Miss nixon, 25, said the experience was ‘comforting’ – and when it was time to say her final goodbyes to Darcy at Martin House Hospice for Children in Wetherby, West Yorkshire, she did not want to leave.
‘When the hospice mentioned taking her there i was not sure if i could sit with her for five days,’ she said. ‘i didn’t think i’d be able to do it, but as soon as we walked into the hospice, it felt so calm. i didn’t want to leave at the end of five days.
‘We got to spend time with her and have photographs taken, including of her and Bea to show her when she’s older.’
the early arrival of Beatrice, born two weeks premature on January 19 weighing 6lb 12oz, meant the two sisters could meet before Darcy’s death.
After the birth, Miss nixon had to spend two days in York hospital with Beatrice – so Darcy was only able to spend one special day with her little sister at home in Malton, north Yorkshire, before she was admitted to the same hospital.
Mr D’rosario, 30, a postman, said: ‘Darcy was very protective of her. she wanted to be the only one to look after her.’
Darcy had a rare disorder called Vacterl association, which affects many body systems. she was born with a heart murmur, bowel problems and a missing bone in her forearm and thumb, and had 20 operations and five open heart surgeries in her short life.
Despite her acute symptoms, she was expected to make it to adulthood – but her condition started deteriorating in late 2018.
in January, Darcy blacked out as she was getting ready for school and died from a cardiac arrest – triggered by an infection – the morning after.
‘Darcy had been sat up talking to me about playing a few hours earlier,’ Miss nixon said. ‘then, in a flash, she was gone. i stepped back to let the medics work on her and she was very much aware of what was going on. i remember she said “where’s my mummy?”
‘the moment she passed away she was looking right into my eyes, like she knew and didn’t want to leave without seeing me.’
Beatrice was in the hospital room when Darcy died. ‘the most devastating thing is Darcy did not get to spend enough time with Bea, because that was the thing she was most excited about,’ Miss nixon said. ‘the house is full of pictures and it feels like there is a connection between them. if you put a picture of Darcy in front of Bea, she smiles like she knows who she is.’
the parents, who have raised more than £ 3,000 for Martin House, have now launched a clothing brand in her memory.
Mr D’rosario said: ‘We are determined that Bea will grow up knowing Darcy and how much her big sister loved her.’
‘She was gone in a flash’