Family

New dad pays tribute to partner who died 24 hours after giving birth

Jean-Luc Montou announced the birth of his newborn son at the same time as announcing the tragic death of his partner, Sarah Bertrand.

A dad-of-two has been left devastated by the death of his partner who died only 24 hours after giving birth to their newborn son.

Jean-Luc Montou, from Louisiana in the US, welcomed his son Julian with his partner, Sarah Bertrand, on May 9.

But Sarah, 29, devastatingly passed away only 24 hours after giving birth from a pulmonary embolism, a blood clot that formed during labour.

Sarah with Jean-Luc, holding baby Julian (Credit: Facebook/ Jean-Luc Montou)

Jean-Luc announced the terrible news on his Facebook page by posting some photos of Sarah holding their little boy just after giving birth, alongside the words: “Still doesn’t even feel real. It just happened within moments and she was gone.

“I loved this woman so much and there was no warning. She was so happy to have little Julian. I miss her so much.”

Jean-Luc, who has three-year-old daughter Jane from a previous relationship, told American news show Today that Sarah had experienced symptoms of a pulmonary embolism before she passed away: “Once the symptoms start showing, it’s already begun.

“I remember thinking it would be OK because we were in a hospital — and the staff tried so hard to help her — but I knew it was serious when they started doing compressions and began using the defibrillator.”

(Credit: Facebook/ Jean-Luc Montou)

The devastated dad has since set up a Go Fund Me page to help pay for Sarah’s funeral costs and to save something for baby Julian’s future as she didn’t have any life insurance.

On the fundraising page, he wrote: “Sarah wanted everything for Julian and he made her so happy. I had never seen her so strong, so confident, and so joyful as when she held her new baby boy.

“While I miss her so much myself, as well as her entire family, this is intended to leave something for Julian and to help with Sarah’s sudden funeral costs. She only wanted the best for our son and the least I can do is try to get help, since she won’t be around to do so.

“While she will be missed so much, I want to honour her memory by raising Julian to be the best man I can make him, but it will be so hard with her sudden loss.”

Having set the target at $8,000 (roughly just over NZD$11,400), Jean-Luc has surpassed his hopes and the total figure of kind donations stands at $24,089 (roughly just over NZD$34,400).

Jean-Luc has kept updating his benefactors with heartbreaking posts such as: “I want to thank everyone so much… It still stings deep, it still feels unfair, and I still feel so helpless without her. The world is definitely a dark place without Sarah for us.”

This story first appeared on Closer

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