Beautiful meaning behind Kelsey Parker's son's name after 'earth-shattering' stillbirth

Kelsey Parker and her partner Will Lindsay have been left devastated by the death of their son, who was stillborn. The couple shared the heartbreaking news on Sunday that their first child together had not survived.

Podcast host Kelsey, 34, and tree surgeon Will shared the name they had selected for their son, revealing they named him Phoenix. The Oxford English dictionary defines the word Phoenix as a noun and described as: "A bird resembling an eagle but with sumptuous red and gold plumage, which was said to live for five or six hundred years in the deserts of Arabia, before burning itself to ashes on a funeral pyre ignited by the sun and fanned by its own wings, only to rise from its ashes with renewed youth to live through another such cycle."

While a second definition explains the word as meaning: "A person or thing of unique excellence or matchless beauty; a paragon." Legends of the Phoenix are linked to stories of renewal, resurrection, and immortality.

Kelsey and Will shared their devastating news via Instagram on Sunday. The heartbreaking tribute to their son included a caption stating: “Phoenix Parker-Lindsay, you will forever be loved.”

The message included a moving poem, entitled For Phoenix, Born Sleeping, Forever Loved. It read: "The world grew quiet as you arrived, So loved, so longed for, yet not alive. Our precious boy, our angel light, Born with wings, took silent flight.

“We named you Phoenix, brave and bright. A soul of love, of warmth and light Though we never heard you cry, You’ll live in hearts that won't ask why. No breath you drew, no eyes to see, Still, you mean everything to me. You’ll journey with us, softly near, In every sigh, in every tear.”

Kelsey shared a second message in which she asked for space while she processes her grief with her family.

She wrote: "Before I receive an influx of lovely messages and heartfelt wishes, I wanted to just say that I truly appreciate everything you are all going to say and share.

"But with the news being so raw, I would really like to ensure that we as a family are given space and time to process this devastating and earth-shattering news. I love you all and thank you for your understanding and space. Love always, Kelsey, Will, and the Parker Family."

Kelsey shares a daughter Aurelia, five, and son Bodhi, four with her late husband, Tom Parker, who died in 2022 at the age of 33 after a battle against brain cancer.

She had opened up to the Mirror in January about her excitement at welcoming a third child into the family home in South East London which she now shares with tree surgeon Will, after finding love again last September.

Confessing that the baby, which would have been Will’s first child, was a "happy accident", Kelsey said she was gently preparing Aurelia and Bodhi for a new sibling, and sharing the joyous news with Tom's family.

Tom's mum Noreen, she said at the time, had immediately given her blessing. "All I care about is that both our families and Tom's family are happy. Noreen is the most amazing lady. After Tom passed, she said to me, as long as you're happy Kels, whatever you do, we will always support you and be happy for you.' We've all been through so much together. But I'm here and bringing another baby into the world."

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