The brave little girl was born amid the pandemic with a very rare tumour
Jordan is undertaking ‘Aurora’s Journey’ – a 100 mile run across 24 hours to mark five years since she died(Image: provided)
A Coventry family have spoken of their heartbreak five years after losing their baby daughter. Aurora Black was born with a rare tumour during the pandemic lockdown in late 2020.
She spent two months in hospital, before she was able to go home where she died. Five years on, parents Jordan and Kathleen Black are still processing their loss, but have huge plans to mark the anniversary of their precious daughter’s short, but love-filled life.
Jordan is planning an ’emotional pilgrimage’ with a 24-hour run. It will take in all the places Aurora stayed, including three hospitals, and end at a memorial tree planted to mark her life.
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“Five years ago, my little girl Aurora passed away,” Jordan told CoventryLive. “It completely changed our lives.
“She was born at Leicester Royal Infirmary and then transferred to Queen’s Medical Centre (QMC) in Nottingham and Birmingham Children’s Hospital. We were able to bring her home for a couple of days before she passed away.
“We were advised there was nothing more that could be done to make her better, and we had to make the decision to bring her home so she could pass peacefully, rather than pushing her through something for our own sake.
“Aurora passed away in my arms. That moment, and the decisions we had to make around it, will always be the hardest things we’ve ever faced.”
Amid the devastation, Jordan, a former military man, took solace in running.
“It started as a way of coping,” he said. “It gave me silence and space when everything else felt overwhelming. There were times after Aurora died when I didn’t want to be here anymore, but running helped me get through those moments.”
(Image: provided)
‘Aurora’s Journey’ will be a 108-mile run to start the day before the fifth anniversary of her death. In 24 hours it will take him to Leicester Royal Infirmary, QMC in Nottingham, and Birmingham Children’s Hospital, before finishing at Aurora’s memorial tree in Bedworth.
“This year I feel in a good place, mentally and physically, so I’m running the journey that Aurora had in her life. It’s around 100 miles, starting on Friday and finishing on Saturday, which marks five years since she passed away.
“It’s an emotional pilgrimage. I haven’t been back to the hospitals since it all happened, so I know it’s going to be tough. I wanted to set myself a challenge that was worthy of people donating, but also something that truly reflected her story.”
“All I’m asking my body to do now is put one foot in front of the other for 24 hours. I’ve already survived the hardest thing imaginable.”
Jordan and Kathleen’s life has continued after losing their daughter – a little sister Airis is now aged four, and little brother Ace is eight months old. They’ve added a dog to their family, Abel, who was born on the day Aurora died.
Even with a home full of new life, Aurora’s memory looms large – the family speak about her often, especially to their children. Airis has told her parents her sister visits her in dreams and they hold hands.
Jordan and wife Kathleen with Airis, Ace and their dog Abel(Image: provided)
“We make sure Aurora’s name is spoken often in our house. That’s the one thing we can control – if talking about her makes me upset, that’s normal. I love her and I always will.
“I’ve learned more from loving and losing her than I ever could have learned otherwise – she’s shaped the person I am today. But I’d trade that in a heartbeat – I would give anything for her to be here with us.”
Jordan was starting Aurora’s Journey today, Friday, January 30. He is using it as an opportunity to raise money with funds supporting poorly children and bereaved families. You can follow his journey on Instagram under the page Jordan Black – its.why.i.run.
