Comedian Russell Howard has revealed the death of his son Felix, who died earlier this year shortly after his wife Cerys had given birth. In a statement, Howard described the period as "unimaginable heartache" and "the most devastating time of our lives."
Howard shared that his son was placed in a cool cot, allowing him and his wife to spend several hours holding Felix, talking to him, and expressing their love. He described these moments as among their "most precious memories."
Following this tragedy, Howard and his wife were inspired by the care they received from a bereavement midwife named Lauren, who had personally experienced a similar loss. This experience motivated them to establish The Felix Foundation.
The foundation aims to support families who have experienced miscarriage, premature birth, stillbirth, neonatal death, or related bereavement. Howard praised the "extraordinary compassion, kindness and humanity" of the hospital staff who assisted them.
To raise funds for the new charity, a comedy event called the Stand-Up Gala is scheduled to take place in February at London's O2 Arena. Several comedians, including Michael McIntyre, Jimmy Carr, Aisling Bea, John Bishop, and Mo Gilligan, are set to perform, donating their time free of charge.
Howard, 46, and his wife Cerys, an NHS doctor, have been together since 2004 and have another son born in August 2024. Howard recently completed a string of shows at the Edinburgh Fringe festival and is currently on a UK stand-up tour.