Kai’s arrival helps ease ‘Special guy’born after loss of James
Watching her great nephew come into the world following the “shattering loss” of her own son was a special moment for Louise France.
Lockdown baby Kai Thomas James Parker will never meet his big cousin James McGurk.
But he will grow up learning how special he was and how much his own arrival helped to lift the broken spirits of Louise and the rest of her family.
Kai was born on July 25 last year - just five months after 19-year-old James died after collapsing at home.
Louise, from St Ninians, said: “On the morning of Saturday, February 8, I woke up to a bang. Steven, James’ stepdad, and I jumped up to see James had collapsed right outside the bedroom door.
“Steven called 999 straight away and we both attended to James as he was unresponsive on the hall floor. His head had hit off the door frame so we thought James had tripped, bumped his head and passed out.
“But then he stopped breathing. We had to do CPR until the ambulance crew arrived and took over. When they took James away I followed behind in the other ambulance...only to get to to the hospital and be told told James had gone to sleep forever.
“We just did not expect that outcome at all.”
James’ gentle persona and joy for life made his loss all the harder to bear.
“James was a friendly, polite, respected 19-year-old happy boy who was with me 24/7,” said Louise.
“James also had autism which meant he already had struggles throughout his life, so to take him seemed so unfair.
“He loved computer games, his family, going to the cinema and to Frankie and Benny’s. He didn’t drink or go out or socialise much. He was with me all the time. We did everything together.”
The morning James passed away was also the day Louise’s niece Jamieleigh had planned to have a gender reveal party for her unborn baby.
“We had to cancel and also that morning was her scan to find out what she was having. Her pregnancy wasn’t the best and most enjoyable either but she braved it through. Due to lockdown too she couldn’t really do the normal shopping trips and the appointments weren’t the same due to restrictions.
“James knew his cousin Jamieleigh was pregnant and was excited to meet the new arrival.
“He loved babies and was so patient and calm with them.”
As Jamieleigh’s birthing partner, Louise felt privileged but anxious to be by her side for the birth.
“Her labour was over 24 hours. She struggled a lot and eventually had to get help as both her heart rate and Kai’s were dropping.
“As her birthing partner it was honestly the scariest thing to be back in the hospital and also to see her struggle so much and be in that