Missy Bo Kearns has opened up about the devastating loss of her unborn child, describing the experience as 'a different type of grief'. The Aston Villa and England midfielder suffered a miscarriage last month, just two weeks after announcing her pregnancy with partner Liam Walsh.
The 25-year-old told ITV News that on 18 March she began shaking and had a temperature of 42C, initially attributing it to pregnancy symptoms. However, Aston Villa team doctor Jodie Blackadder-Weinstein urged her to seek immediate hospital care. 'It was one of the biggest shocks of my life,' Kearns said. She later discovered she had lost the baby and developed sepsis.
Kearns praised the medical team at Villa, stating they 'probably saved my life'. She spent four days in hospital, recalling the psychological toll: 'I had sepsis, and while having that, I wasn’t even thinking about the sepsis, it was: “I’ve lost my child.”'
The England international hopes sharing her story will encourage others to speak out. 'People don’t tell people that they’ve been through it. They suffer in silence,' she said, urging those struggling to seek support from charities like Tommy’s.
Kearns acknowledged the difficulty of returning to normal life, as the reality of changed plans hits. Despite the ordeal, she remains focused on her football career, targeting next year’s World Cup. 'I’ve realised there’s more to life than football, but now I’m going to enjoy every minute like it’s my last,' she said.
