YNWA - Fly high, Baby Elijah

Very sad news this weekend.

It is truly heartbreaking to learn of the devastating loss Cody Gakpo and his partner, Noa van der Bij, have suffered. Noa shared that their unborn son, Elijah, passed away during pregnancy, a tragedy that has triggered an immense outpouring of support from the football community.

Remarkably, Gakpo has declared himself available for the Netherlands' upcoming World Cup clash against Morocco. While some may be surprised by his quick return to action, it is essential to remember that everyone processes trauma and grief differently. We must respect that football can sometimes serve as a necessary distraction or a source of solace during life’s most difficult moments.

Cody should be granted the space to grieve in his own personal way, without judgment. Our hearts remain with the Gakpo family during this incredibly painful time. YNWA.  

If you need to talk about how you’re feeling, our baby and child loss admin team is here to support you.

Every member of our team is bereavement‑trained and has lived experience of baby or child loss. You can drop us a message in the chat box at any time, and someone will respond within 48 hours. Please remember our team is all volunteers. We check in daily and will always get back to you as soon as we can. While our admins are trained in bereavement support, they are not counsellors. If you are in need of urgent medical help, please call 999 for immediate assistance.

#YNWA #FlyHighElijah#ShineBrightTonight #babylossawareness #gonebutneverforgotten #specialdays #youarenotalone #DadsGrievetoo #babylossdads #AngelDads #babylossdad