Parents’ heartbreak as ‘baby boy they had always wished for’ dies in their arms

A HEARTBROKEN couple has paid tribute to the "baby boy they had always wished for" after he died from a severe heart condition.

Little Théo-Ben Sigley was diagnosed with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) shortly before he was born in November 2022.

The birth defect occurs when one side of the heart is underdeveloped, which affects normal blood flow through the organ.

The youngster's parents, who had feared they couldn't fall pregnant, were overjoyed when they welcomed the youngster into the world.

But now, Talour Greenwood and her partner Ryan Sigley have had to say their goodbyes to him less than a year later.

Talour, 26, told : "I feel lost. I feel like a massive part of me has been taken.

"I’m not me without him by my side."

Talour, from Tameside, Greater Manchester, found out she was expecting Théo-Ben early last year.

She said it "didn't feel real" and she "cried so hard" because she had always wanted a baby she could "love and cherish for as long as possible".

"I always dreamed of having my own little boy and then found out during the gender reveal I got my little best friend," she added.

But at her 33-week scan, doctors revealed that her unborn child had HLHS.

"I broke down," Talour said. "The first thing I said was: ‘Am I going to lose my son?’.

"Our world came tumbling down when the doctor said it was a 50:50 chance he would survive."

Talour and Ryan, 28, who has two other sons, Archéy-Ryan and Freddéy-Aaron, from a previous relationship, were offered termination but declined.

"He was a fully grown baby - I couldn’t give up on him, I needed to give him a fighting chance," Talour said.

Théo-Ben was born weeks later. He had his first open heart surgery at just four days old.

The tot then had two more procedures, which doctors and the family believed went well.

Talour said: "He looked pink in a really good way.

"He was steady and opened his eyes after a few days. It was the most amazing thing."

I feel lost. I feel like a massive part of me has been taken.

Talour Greenwood

But aged 10 months, the couple were called into the hospital and told to "expect the worst".

Théo-Ben's blood pressure had lowered, his temperature had spiked, and his heart rate had soared; he was unlikely to make it.

"I ran out of the room, Ryan followed, and we broke together," Talour said.