Australian cricket player Fawad Ahmed has sadly announced the tragic death of his four-month-old son following a health battle.
Ahmed, 41, and his wife welcomed their second child in June but the baby faced persistent health issues.
After spending months in the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne trying to find a diagnosis, Ahmed announced on Monday that his son had passed away.
‘Till we meet again my little angel,’ he wrote alongside two photos of the tiny boy.
‘Unfortunately after a long struggle my little man has lost the painful and tough fight.
Australian cricket player Fawad Ahmed’s son (above) has tragically passed away
Fawad Ahmed (above) previously described his son’s struggle as a ‘tough time’ for the family
‘I believe you are in a better place, we will miss you so much.
‘I hope no one ever goes through this pain.’
In an earlier interview with Cricket Australia, Ahmed described his son’s struggle as ‘a tough time’.
‘Every day he is growing, and the bones and the joints are getting stiffer and stiffer,’ he said.
‘We don’t know what’s going to happen. Neither do the doctors. It’s pretty bad. You want to know.
‘This is something that is aching the heart.’
Two months ago the baby underwent a surgery to bring forward his jaw and tongue to help with breathing after winning a weight struggle and finally reaching 3kg.
However, his health problems persisted and his eyesight became a fresh concern.
Ahmed has represented his country on five occasions in short form cricket
‘It’s something that’s so unexpected,’ Ahmed said.
‘You’re excited, you’re happy about the birth of your child, and then suddenly you go to some dark places, and you don’t know what’s going to happen.
‘Our lives have completely changed. Every morning, we just wake up and get ready to go to the hospital. Then in the evening, we come back. That’s it, nothing else.’
Ahmed is playing club cricket in Victoria and most recently played for the Melbourne Renegades in the Big Bash League.
He represented Australia on five occasions in 2013, playing two T20 internationals and three One Day games.
Ahmed, who plays as a legspinner, has also won the Sheffield Shield with Victoria.
Cricket Australia tweeted: ‘The thoughts of the Australian Cricket community are with former Australian spinner Fawad Ahmed after the passing of his young son.
‘Our condolences are with Fawad, his family and friends in this terribly difficult time.’