Coronation Street actress Kym Marsh has opened up about remembering her late son on his birthday every year.
Kym and then-partner Jamie Lomas were expecting their first child together when she gave birth to Archie just 23 weeks into her pregnancy in 2009.
The star decided to celebrate his eighth birthday this year in South Africa and says it “really hit” her.
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Speaking in her OK! Magazine column, the soap star said: “David and I spent the last couple of days of our holiday to South Africa in Cape Town, and it was here that we spent Archie’s birthday – he would’ve been eight years old.”
She added: “It’s different every year, but this year it really hit me.
“I think it was probably because I was away from home, but being with David made it easier – he’s always there if I’m feeling low and he’s incredibly supportive.”
The 40-year-old is also mum to David, Emilie and Polly.
In a case of art imitating life, Kym’s character Michelle Connor, has recently suffered a heartbreaking late-miscarriage too.
Kym has been widely praised for her acting during the difficult scenes, especially given she’s been through it in real life.
Talking about the tragic loss of Archie, she said: “It’s the first time I’ve been away on Archie’s birthday and I didn’t have his ashes with me, which I keep at home.
“I did take something really special with me – Archie’s hand and footprints, which I keep in a frame.”
Kym went on to explain how she spent the difficult day.
She said: “We had a lovely day out to Table Mountain, lit a candle and toasted him at night.
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“My sister and her boyfriend were looking after Polly back in Manchester on the day and they set off a balloon for him.
“Emilie was at our house with Archie’s ashes and they set off a balloon too.”
Kym took to Twitter to wish her late son a happy birthday and was given nothing but support from her 718K fans.
Along with a heartwarming poem, she wrote: “This day 8 yrs ago my baby boy got his angel wings. Happy birthday my beautiful Archie. We love you very much and we miss you every day.”
Kym is currently campaigning to change the law for stillbirths, which will allow them to have a birth certificate.
Speaking to The Sun, the star said: “It would be great if it led to a change in the law. The fact I didn’t get a birth certificate for Archie means that when I’m gone there’s no record of him.
“We celebrate his birthday every year and let off balloons. My daughter Polly knows she had a brother, yet there is no record of his birth.”