Daddy blogger shares moving Father’s Day post alongside stillborn son’s handprints tattooed on his neck
Brad Kearns, 27, a gym manager from New South Wales, Australia, has had three sons but his first, named Buddy, was stillborn
A BRAVE father has shared a heartbreaking post on Facebook about what Father’s Day is like as dad to a stillborn baby.
Brad Kearns, 27, a gym manager from New South Wales, Australia, has had three sons but his first, named Buddy, was stillborn.
As he spent time with his two sons on Sunday evening (Father’s Day in Australia) the loving father reflected on what his initial Father's Day had been like without his first son by his side.
He wrote: “Do you remember the first time you touched your child's hands?
“You rubbed your thumb across the top of their fingers as they hold onto yours. You grab their entire hand and hold it in your fist.
“You give it a little squeeze to let them know that you're there; and you sit in awe of their vulnerability.
“And at that moment you make your silent promise. A promise to protect them. To care for them. To give them your all. A promise to be the best parent you can be.”
As the doting dad cuddled up with his two sons before bed, he reflected about the promises he had made them and contemplated the tiny handprint tattoos that are printed around his neck.
He continued: “These tiny little hands that are positioned like an eternal cuddle. These are the hands of our first son. His name was Buddy,
“It wasn't always going to be his name, but it seemed right at the time. When we met him for the first time and he was peacefully sleeping.
“It just seemed so right. He was my little Buddy. The handprints serve as my daily reminder.”
Brad, who runs a , added from that day forward he was a dad.
He said: “The fact that we couldn't take him home with us didn't change a thing. The fact I would never teach him to kick a ball didn't matter.
“We held his hands and we called him our own. He was the first little boy I ever made that promise to,
“I remember on the next Father's Day I didn't expect anything. I got a card. I received a few lovely text messages. I was still a dad. It meant the world to me. It made my promise real.
“If you know a dad, a stepdad, a foster dad, or a family with two dads... Make an effort this Father's Day. Let them know their promise was real. It will mean the world to them too.”
He told : “We have a lot of people around us who have been through similar misfortunes as us and I think it's nice for those people to be included and to feel included.
“It's also nice for those people when awareness is created around the topic.
“I think awareness is key. Awareness validates everything. The more people who talk about it, the more people are able to talk about it. Especially men.”
Those who are dealing with the loss of a baby can seek support at