Chantelle Thompson's IVF was successful on the first attempt. ' She also noted that the timing felt right, referencing messages from Joe. Joe Thompson died in April last year at age 36 after being diagnosed with cancer for the third time.
He had stage four lymphoma, a form of blood cancer. Joe Thompson was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma in 2013 and recovered before the cancer returned four years later; he recovered a second time before retiring in 2019. Joe Thompson's career included spells at Rochdale, Tranmere, Southport, Bury and Carlisle United before his retirement.
It just means absolutely everything. I know it's never going to replace Joe obviously. Joe's Joe. But to be able to bring his baby into the world again is beautiful.
He is best remembered for scoring the winning goal that saved Rochdale from League One relegation in 2018, a moment later named Laureus' Sporting Moment of the Year. After his death in April last year, Manchester United paid tribute to their former academy player. Joe Thompson became a regular pundit on MUTV and held an ambassadorial role at Manchester United, as well as working as a motivational speaker and life coach.
He is survived by his wife Chantelle and their two daughters, Thailula and Athena Rae. Joe Thompson gave his wife a name for a future son before he died. Chantelle and Joe Thompson lost their baby Dre just three days before he was due prior to Joe's death.
He actually had a vision of us sat outside with a baby boy. This was maybe six months before he passed, and he assumed that it was all of us.
Chantelle Thompson has received an email revealing the baby's gender but has not opened it yet, awaiting a small gathering with families to find out. The family tragedy adds emotional depth to the current pregnancy announcement.
And then maybe two weeks before he passed, we were just sat in the garden and he just had a realisation and was like, 'I think I was watching you with the baby and the girls in the garden, not me physically here with you.'
I hope [he was] because I've only got a boy's name.
It means absolutely everything, and to be blessed for it to work first time. We'd gone through IVF for three years trying to get pregnant with baby Dre. But I just knew, I knew the timing was right, I knew Joe's messages were right.