Heartbroken Gary Barlow pays emotional tribute to stillborn daughter 8 years on saying he and wife Dawn ‘soldier on’
GARY Barlow paid an emotional tribute to his baby daughter Poppy - eight years after her death.
The heartbroken singer told fans he and wife Dawn "soldier on" after marking the anniversary.
Poppy was stillborn in 2012 just days before Gary, 49, had to perform at the closing ceremony of the 2012 Olympics.
Sharing a picture of himself with his arms round Dawn as they looked out to the ocean, Gary wrote on Instagram: "Thank you for all your kind messages yesterday - we soldier on."
He ended the post with a heartbroken emoji.
Gary revealed he had a breakdown in 2016 over the loss, telling fans of the lasting impact on his family.
He wrote in his autobiography A Better Me: “Poppy Barlow was born in the evening on Saturday, 4 August, just before nine o’clock.
"When she was born it was like a light came into the room. It was lovely, it was gorgeous, we both took turns cuddling her, and we took pictures.
"It was one of the best hours of my life I’ve ever experienced in the midst of the hardest time of my life. It was very powerful, that hour was.
"Poppy looked perfect and for an hour she was alive to us. She’s in your arms, this beautiful little daughter of ours, a sister to our three other children.
"Then the reality comes rushing into the room and all the air leaves your lungs. It felt like someone had a hand held tight at my throat. The nurses start hovering and they want to take her away.
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"What we experienced and saw over those 24 hours no one should have to see or have to go through."
Gary's wife was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in the aftermath, which doctors said had been caused by her grief.
Meanwhile Gary kept his feelings buried and focused on work.