Man Announces Birth Of Son And Death Of Partner In Viral Post

Keep Reading ↓

May 9 was one of the happiest days for Jean Luc Montou and Sarah Bertrand. It was the day when 29-year-old Bertrand gave birth to the couple’s first child, a son named Julian Charles.

“Afterward, she just silently dropped tears of joy and happiness,” Montou, 24, told TODAY Parents. “She loved Julian so much.”

However, just 24 hours after giving birth, Bertrand died in her hospital room as Montou held their newborn son.

Montou, from Moss Bluff, Louisiana, says that while the hospital is still investigating the cause of Bertrand’s death, doctors suspect that she suffered an amniotic embolism which is an extremely rare childbirth complication that causes heart and lung collapse and internal bleeding.

“Once the symptoms start showing, it’s already begun,” said Montou, remembering that Bertrand complained of a headache. She also appeared to be having a seizure before she died. “I remember thinking it would be OK because we were in a hospital — and the staff tried so hard to help her — but I knew it was serious when they started doing compressions and began using the defibrillator.”

The couple didn’t immediately announce the birth of their son, as they were waiting to be released from the hospital. They wanted to take photos of him in his nursery to post to their social media accounts. However, once Bertrand died, Montou shared a heartbreaking post, alerting his friends and family that Julian had arrived, however Bertrand had died just hours later.

“Sarah didn’t make it,” Montou wrote in the viral post. “My last 24 hours with her was the happiest I’d ever been…I loved this woman like no other and she died in front of me while I held our son. Please take a few moments to remember this woman because she was the absolute best thing that has ever happened to me and Jane” — his 3-year-old daughter from a previous relationship.

 “Sarah was there for me when I was having a hard time as a single father. Sarah was there for Jane when she needed a mother figure,” remembered Montou. “Sarah did not skip a beat or hesitate to be there for us and love us from the time we met.”

Montou says that he and Bertrand had planned to marry after she had recovered from Julian’s birth. Now, the father of two is staying with family members.  He’s trying to determine what his next steps will be. Montou also started a GoFundMe to raise money to help secure his family’s future.

“We had both wanted a son so bad,” said Montou, adding that Bertrand suffered from severe anxiety throughout her life and often said her growing family was what brought her peace. “She worked hard during delivery and was excited to see Julian finally. Just 20 minutes before she died, Sarah said, ‘I have never loved anyone or anything as much as I love him — he’s like my favorite thing ever.’”

As Julian grows older, Montou says he will tell his son that becoming a mother gave Bertrand the strength to face her issues with anxiety. “Julian was her purpose,” said Montou. “I’ll tell him that he’s not just her son, he’s her legacy.”

“I’ll tell him that his mom loved him so much, but that she needed a rest from this life … that she gave so much of herself to nearly everyone she knew and that it was her turn to relax.”

This is truly heartbreaking.