Comedian Russell Howard is opening up about a profound loss in his family.
The British comic and TV host, best known for his talk shows “Russell Howard’s Good News” and “The Russell Howard Hour,” revealed the death of his newborn son, Felix, in an emotional social media post Friday, Sept. 4.
“Earlier this year, our family changed forever when our beautiful baby boy, Felix, died shortly after birth,” wrote Howard, who shared the newborn, his second child, with wife Cerys Morgan. The comedian did not disclose the baby’s cause of death.
Howard, 46, went on to thank the couple’s bereavement midwife, Lauren, as well as the hospital staff for their attentive care.
“During the most devastating time of our lives, the hospital staff who cared for us showed extraordinary compassion, kindness and humanity,” Howard wrote. “They helped us navigate an unimaginable heartache and gave us support when we needed it most.”
Howard shared that during Felix’s hospitalization, the baby was placed inside a “cool cot,” which allowed him and Morgan to “spend precious hours with our beautiful boy.”
“We could hold him, talk to him and tell him just how much we loved him,” Howard continued. “Those hours are among the most precious memories we have of Felix. We were overwhelmed by the care we received, and we made a promise to each other: that we would try to help other families who find themselves facing the same devastating circumstances.”
To that end, Howard and his wife established The Felix Foundation, a charity that aims to “relieve the needs of parents, siblings and other close family members affected by miscarriage, premature birth, stillbirth, neonatal death or related bereavement” through various medical support services.
Howard is set to host a fundraising gala and comedy show in February at The O2 Arena in London.
“We miss [Felix] dearly, every single day,” Howard concluded. “But we take some comfort in knowing that his name will stand for kindness, compassion and laughter and that his legacy may help other families through the darkest moment of their lives.”