Ellidy Vlug, the widow of Australian snowboard legend Alex ‘Chumpy’ Pullin, announced in a series of “bittersweet” Instagram posts that she’s pregnant with his child 12 months after his tragic death.
Now, speaking on her podcast, Darling, Shine!, Ellidy had a heartfelt discussion where she revealed that she and Chumpy had been trying for a baby prior to his passing.
“Everyone knew we were trying so hard for a baby. As soon as we got together, we were talking about the future and babies and everything we were going to do,” she said.
Ellidy said they had to “hustle” to retrieve Chumpy’s sperm in the days after his tragic death, which is allowed under Queensland legislation.
“[It was] incredibly fortunate we had the resources and the means to make this happen in such crucial time,” she said.
“I know a lot of widows haven’t had this opportunity and I want to spread awareness on this. Not a lot of people know about sperm retrieval,” adding that she’s “so grateful” she was able to “retrieve Chumpy’s sperm.”
Ellidy Vlug went on to discuss how she feels about becoming a mother.
“I’m not saying it’s going to be easy or a walk in the park. I have a lot ahead of me, I’ve got big shoes to fill,” she said.
“I’ve got to be a dad and a mum in one, and not just any dad, I’ve got to be a Chumpy dad.
“I go through a lot every day and I will forever grief, that never leaves you, but I was always so sure of one thing – that I was always going to have this bub.”
Have a listen to the full podcast here.
