James Green had always dreamed of becoming a father, and his excitement was palpable when he and his wife, Cloe, were expecting their first child.
As their family grew with the arrival of their second child, this British couple decided to keep expanding their family.
Even when Cloe thought they had enough children, James would playfully wink at her and say, “Just one more, Clo.”
James cherished his role as a father, and he made every effort to be present for his children, as he worked from home while Cloe took care of them full-time.
He was the one responsible for taking the kids to school and spending quality evenings with them, radiating love, energy, and good health.
When their fifth child was born with cerebral palsy, James and Cloe decided that their family had reached its ideal size. Cloe sought medical assistance and received a contraceptive implant.
However, fate had other plans, and Cloe unexpectedly became pregnant again. James saw it as destiny unfolding.
The couple went on to have eight children, and they both believed their family was finally complete.
Then, on December 4, 2015, just 12 weeks after welcoming their youngest child, their lives took an abrupt and tragic turn.
Cloe awoke in their bed, only to realize that James had stopped breathing.
Cloe and James developed a teenage romance, and from the outset of their relationship, James frequently expressed his desire to have children.
He envisioned starting a family early and having a large one. James, a substantial figure with a heart full of kindness, possessed an abundance of love to share.
When Cloe was pregnant for the first time, she was just 17 years old. She and James were ecstatic about having Leo, which came as a bit of a surprise.
Levi, the couple’s second son, gave Cloe and James further assurance that they want a large family.
Two years later, Chloe found herself expecting their third child, Oliver. Shortly after Oliver’s birth, their first daughter, Megan, joined the family.
Soon after, their youngest, Miley, was born with cerebral palsy, necessitating special care and attention.
Given the unique challenges that came with raising Miley, Cloe and James made the decision that their family was now whole. To ensure this, Cloe had a contraception implant fitted to prevent any future pregnancies.
However, fate had a different plan in mind. Cloe found herself unexpectedly pregnant once more.
“James said it was meant to be for us to have more babies,” Cloe said.
Soon thereafter, Lacey and Lexi were born, both of them also having cerebral palsy.
As with their previous pregnancies, James was filled with excitement. However, the couple mutually agreed that their family of eight children would have to be the final count.
James was undeniably a super dad. His entire existence revolved around the well-being of their children, and with eight kids to look after, this commitment demanded a significant amount of his time.
Despite Cloe being a full-time mom, James chose to work remotely to ensure they could wholeheartedly dedicate themselves to their children.
“He’d do the school run, then go to work at the café before picking the kids up,” Cloe said. “Then he’d sit and play games and read until bedtime. He had so much energy.”
Twelve weeks after Elijah became a part of their family, the unimaginable occurred.
Cloe and James went to bed as they typically did. However, in the middle of the night, around 4:30 in the morning, James awoke, exhibiting unusual behavior.
He suddenly sat upright in bed, his body completely numb. Then, he began convulsing and eventually stopped breathing.
Cloe immediately initiated CPR on her husband before paramedics arrived and took over the life-saving efforts.
“I wanted to scream and cry but knew I needed to keep calm,” Cloe said.
James passed away in bed. Tragically, he was just 31 years old.
It went unnoticed, but James had been dealing with high blood pressure.
He had a condition known as hypertensive heart disease, a type of heart ailment resulting from prolonged elevated blood pressure.
Unfortunately, like many others who have this condition, James had it without being aware of it until it was too late.
Due to James’ failure to undergo regular physical examinations, which are recommended for all adults, the severity of his condition remained unknown to everyone.
James’s sudden and shocking death left a profound void. Loved ones rallied around Cloe, who found herself alone and heartbroken, responsible for their eight children.
“In my darkest moments I wondered how on earth I would do this without James,” Cloe confided. “But I looked at those eight little faces all depending on me and I knew I had to do this for them and for James.”
In tribute to James, Cloe channeled even greater dedication to their children.
Cloe shared that the cherished memories of James with their children have been her source of solace.
“He loved being a dad more than anything and has made me a strong enough parent to face this job alone,” she reflected.
With her children, Cloe keeps James’s memory alive through simple yet beautiful gestures, like releasing balloons into the sky as a heartfelt tribute.
Cloe expressed that she will forever miss a part of James’s soul, but she finds solace in the fact that her husband’s desire for a large and loving family came true.
The Greens’ community has rallied together to provide extensive support to Cloe and her children. Among their many efforts, they successfully raised over $10,000 to renovate the family garden, creating a welcoming and enjoyable space for the children to play.
Cloe has endured challenges that no one should ever have to confront, but in numerous ways, she has emerged even stronger following the tragedy.
Witnessing her resilience and determination as she fights for herself and her children is undeniably inspiring.