Football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo announced the death of his baby son Monday during childbirth after his long-term partner Georgina Rodriguez gave birth to twins.
“It is with our deepest sadness we have to announce that our baby boy has passed away. It is the greatest pain that any parents can feel,” he said on his official Instagram account.
— Cristiano Ronaldo (@Cristiano) April 18, 2022
“Only the birth of our baby girl gives us the strength to live this moment with some hope and happiness.” said Ronaldo, “We would like to thank the doctors and nurses for all their expert care and support.”
The 37-year-old, who is a father of five after the birth of his daughter, also said they are devastated and asked for some privacy at this very difficult time.
Back in October, Ronaldo announced that he and Rodriguez were expecting twins.
“Our baby boy, you are our angel,” they wrote in the statement on Monday. “We will always love you.”
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Child mortality remains a global concern.
“The total number of under-5 deaths worldwide has declined from 12.6 million in 1990 to 5.0 million in 2020,” the World Health Organization reports. “Since 1990, the global under-5 mortality rate has dropped by 60%, from 93 deaths per 1,000 live births in 1990 to 37 in 2020. This is equivalent to 1 in 11 children dying before reaching age 5 in 1990, compared to 1 in 27 in 2020.”
The United States’ infant mortality (death before age 1) rate was 5.6 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2019, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Anadolu with additional input by GVS News Desk