Dad touches hearts with song to dying newborn son
Heartbreaking video of new father singing Blackbird to his dying baby, days after his wife suddenly died
This sad-but-achingly-lovely video captures new dad Chris Picco singing a final lullaby to his dying newborn son – just days after his wife Ashley died unexpectedly during an emergency Caesarean section.
Baby Lennon survived the op but was taken straight to neonatal intensive care, where doctors soon realised his lack of movement and brain activity meant it was unlikely he'd live for long.
Remembering that during Ashley’s pregnancy, their baby had responded to music by moving around in the womb, Chris brought his guitar into the hospital in the hope of encouraging little Lennon's brain activity.
This video, filmed on a mobile phone, shows Chris singing and playing for his baby – who was born at just 24 weeks – with a rendition of Paul McCartney’s Blackbird.
On 10 November, 2 days after Lennon was born, Chris spent the whole day playing music for his son. But sadly, the following day, little Lennon passed away in his dad’s arms.
"Dear friends, family, and supporters; it is with an unbelievably heavy heart that I write this. My little fighter, Lennon James Picco went to sleep in his daddy’s arms late last night," Chris wrote on his Facebook page.
"I have been so blessed and honored to love him before he was formed, to cherish him while mommy carried him, meet him face to precious face, and hold his perfect little body while we said 'goodbye for now.'"
Chris, who lives in California in the US, has had an outpouring of support – the video of his lullaby has gone viral and the Ashley Picco Memorial Fund has so far raised over £100,000 to help ensure Ashley’s family "face fewer financial challenges in the time to come".
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