What was supposed to be the happiest moment of their lives turned into an unimaginable tragedy for 20-year-old Daniel Darbyshire.
His girlfriend, Mellodie-Ocean Jarman, 19, and their newborn daughter, Athena-Pearl, both passed away within hours of each other, leaving him completely devastated.
A Sudden and Unexpected Medical Emergency
Mellodie, who was 33 weeks pregnant, first started feeling unwell on January 31 during a routine pregnancy scan.
She told doctors she was dizzy and faint, but after being examined, she was sent home with iron supplements and antibiotics.
She and Daniel, who had been together for more than two years, spent the next day at home watching TV and taking pictures, believing everything was fine.
A Night That Changed Everything
On the night of February 1, Mellodie’s symptoms suddenly worsened.
She struggled to breathe and told Daniel she was having trouble seeing.
Her family called an ambulance, but before help arrived, she collapsed into her mother’s arms and stopped breathing.
Paramedics rushed her to Royal Bolton Hospital, performing CPR in a desperate attempt to save her.
Doctors performed an emergency C-section at 12:32 AM on February 2, delivering baby Athena-Pearl seven weeks early.
But tragically, Mellodie passed away just over an hour later.
A Father’s Heartbreaking Goodbye
Little Athena was placed on life support, but doctors told the grieving family that she was unlikely to survive.
In a heartbreaking moment, Daniel placed his newborn daughter in Mellodie’s arms so she could take her last breath with her mother.
“I feel completely lost,” Daniel said.
“Mellodie was the one who kept life structured, and now everything is gone.”
After Athena passed away, Daniel gently pushed her back to the hospital’s neonatal unit in a pram so she could be bathed and dressed.
The family was able to baptize her, saying their final goodbyes.
A Future That Will Never Be
Just weeks before the tragedy, Daniel and Mellodie had been making big plans for their future.
They had booked their first holiday together and were saving up for a home of their own.
Mellodie had even talked about enrolling Athena in swimming lessons after the baby was born.
“We had a whole life planned together,” Daniel shared.
“We thought this could never happen. We were just planning to experience everything for the first time as a family.”
Searching for Answers
Doctors remain unsure about what caused Mellodie’s sudden death, and an inquest is expected to provide more information.
“Even the doctors don’t know,” Daniel said. “She was young, fit, and healthy. We just want answers.”
As the family mourns, they are left with memories of the life they had envisioned—a life that was taken from them too soon.