Gladiator’s star Steel has shared the emotional speech he read at his baby son Leo’s funeral.
The athlete’s son was born prematurely at 23 weeks and sadly died after 13 days in a neonatal intensive care unit last month.
In a social media post, the TV star and his wife Samantha, shared a selection of the floral arrangements at the funeral, as well as a video of the coffin.
The 34-year-old - real name Zack George - also shared the touching speech he made in the caption.
“Thirteen days. That’s all we had. But in that time, you taught us more about love, and courage, than most ever will. Your body was small, but your spirit was big, fierce and unafraid,” the speech read.
“We called you Leo, our lion, not for how loud you roared, but for how hard you fought to stay. You knew our voices, you knew our touch, the warmth of our hearts pressed against yours.
“You were held, you were known and you were loved. And though the world only had a brief chance to meet you, you changed it and You changed us.
“Now that you rest, we still carry you— in every quiet moment, in the breath between tears, in the space you filled just by being here. Our son, our lion— you will always matter. You will always be ours. Rest easy our little boy.”
Last month, he detailed Leo’s devastating health issues while sharing an emotional video of his wife Samantha sitting beside their newborn’s incubator.
"What Leo had to endure during his 13 days fighting in NICU (heartbreak emoji),” the BBC star wrote on Instagram.
"3 Blood transfusions, Collapsed lungs, A Grade 1 and Grade 2 bleed on his brain, A Hole in his heart (PDA heart condition), A hole in his trachea causing air pockets in his lungs."
George added that he will be taking part in a charity fitness challenge he has launched called 13 Days Fighting in memory of Leo.
George and Samantha - who married in September - have another child, a daughter named Ivy, who is nearly two.
George announced Leo’s death last month with a photo of him and his wife cradling their baby on Instagram.
“Your mummy brought you into this world and your daddy held you as you left. Leo…… you showed us what the true definition of strength is and we are so proud of you,” he penned.
If you have been affected by this story, advice and support can be found at childbereavementuk.org or you can call them on 0800 02 888 40.
