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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
World
Leah Sinclair

Ashley Cain throws wake to celebrate life of baby daughter following heartbreaking funeral

Ashley Cain and his partner Safiyya Vorajee

(Picture: Getty Images)

Ashley Cain and his partner Safiyya Vorajee celebrated the life of their daughter Azaylia following her funeral on Friday.

Friends and family joined the couple at a wake to say their final goodbye to the baby girl.

The former Ex On The Beach star, 30, and his partner Ms Vorajee, 35, lost their daughter to acute myeloid leukaemia last month.

Images and videos from inside the celebration showed the family coming together to remember Azaylia.

The memorial was held in a huge marquee adorned with balloon arches and stunning floral displays.

A steel band played and guests watched an impressive fireworks display.

On Friday, hundreds of well-wishers lined the streets for Azaylia’s funeral in Nuneaton, Warwickshire.

Mr Cain and Ms Vorajee invited mourners to pay their respects to their daughter on the pre-arranged route.

Getty Images

Earlier this month, Mr Cain said planning his daughter’s funeral was “enough to bring me to my knees.”

In a message shared on his stories, he wrote: “I always dreaded the first time I’d have to plan a funeral. But I never ever thought it would be my child’s funeral.

“Nothing could ever have prepared me for this. Some days it breaks me and I can’t even bare [sic] to do it.

“I always thought I was tough, but making decisions on how I’m going to bury my baby is enough to bring me to my knees every single time.’

Ashley Cain and Safiyya with their daughter Azaylia DiamondPA

“It’s hard to make sense of anything right now, especially why did it have to happen this way!”

Azaylia was diagnosed with aggressive leukaemia when she was eight weeks old and a fundraiser to try to help save her life had reached more than £1.5 million by the time she died.

Landmarks around the world, including Niagara Falls, were lit up in orange last month in support of Azaylia, and to raise awareness of acute myeloid leukaemia.

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