Jason Watkins Marks Daughter Maude's 18th Birthday with Heartfelt Tribute

Actor Jason Watkins, 63, and his wife Clara Francis have paid a poignant tribute to their late daughter Maude on what would have been her 18th birthday. The couple lost Maude in 2011 when she was two years old, following a sepsis infection that developed from a chest infection. Watkins shared a photograph of Maude on Instagram, expressing the deep and unending love he and his wife have for her.

In his message, Watkins imagined what his daughter might have accomplished had she lived. "Who knows what she will have done with her precious life. How would she have strode through it?" he wrote. "She would have met people, and loved them, and been loved. She could have made her own world - and changed the world too." He concluded by affirming, "We will never stop loving you. Never stop imagining you with us Maude. You are loved, my sweet, sweet girl."

Maude's death followed a series of events where her symptoms, initially appearing as a chest infection and cold, were not recognized as sepsis. After two visits to A&E, where she was diagnosed with a cold and croup, she was sent home. She was discovered unresponsive the following morning. It was later confirmed that she had developed sepsis, a life-threatening condition where the immune system's overreaction to an infection damages the body's own tissues and organs.

The outpouring of support from fans and friends was evident in the comments on Watkins' post. Actress Joanna Page offered her condolences and thanked Watkins for raising sepsis awareness. Actress Beatie Edney shared a personal story, crediting the couple's advocacy for sepsis awareness with saving her life, as an ambulance crew recognized the signs and rushed her to the hospital. The UK Sepsis Trust, for which Watkins serves as an ambassador, also sent their love to the family.

In the years following Maude's death, Jason Watkins and Clara Francis have become dedicated advocates for improved sepsis diagnosis. In 2023, they released a BBC documentary, "Jason & Clara: In Memory of Maudie," which documented their journey as they prepared to move from their home where Maude was born and died. The film included personal therapy sessions and home videos of Maude, highlighting the profound impact of her loss.

Watkins has spoken about the lingering anger and the difficulty of discussing his daughter's death, expressing a hope that by sharing their story and advocating for better understanding of sepsis, they can prevent other families from experiencing similar tragedies. "Obviously it was missed. There's a bit of anger there obviously… I know that irrationally I'm doing this because if I crack it and no more children die, which is ridiculous because they will sadly and that I fully understand the condition that is sepsis, that Maude will come back walk into the room," he stated.

The UK Sepsis Trust reports that sepsis causes approximately five deaths every hour in the UK. They promote a "Trust Your Instincts" campaign, urging individuals to act quickly and ask, "Could it be Sepsis?" The trust outlines key signs to look for in children, including rapid breathing, convulsions, mottled or pale skin, a non-fading rash, lethargy, difficulty waking, and feeling abnormally cold.