Former TOWIE Star's Son Suffers Devastating Finger Injury in Ice Skating Mishap
Former The Only Way Is Essex personality Chloe Lewis has shared heartbreaking details of a horrific accident that left her six-year-old son Beau with a severed finger during a New Year's Eve ice skating outing. The 35-year-old television star, who co-parents Beau with former partner Danny Flasher, broke the devastating news to her Instagram followers in an emotional post on Thursday evening.
Traumatic Incident on New Year's Eve
Lewis described receiving what she called "the dreaded phone call no parent ever wants to receive" at 2pm on December 31st. She was informed that Beau had fallen while ice skating and another skater had accidentally run over his finger with their bladed skate, completely severing it from his hand.
"I'm not even sure how I got into the car and drove the 45 minutes to him, if I'm honest — it was all a complete blur," Lewis wrote in her extensive social media post. "When I arrived, he was wrapped up in a silver medical blanket. His little face melted my heart, and I did my best to hold back the tears so I didn't upset him."
Remarkably, the young boy attempted to comfort his mother, repeatedly telling her: "It's fine mum, you don't need to cry, I'm OK. My finger's going to be OK."
Emergency Hospital Treatment and Surgery
Beau was immediately rushed via emergency blue-light ambulance to The Royal London Hospital, where medical staff conducted X-rays and examinations before performing emergency surgery that evening. Lewis described watching her son being put under anesthesia as "probably the worst thing I've ever experienced" and said the experience was "incredibly distressing."
The plastic surgery procedure lasted approximately three and a half hours, after which Lewis was called to be present when her son regained consciousness. Initially, surgeons reported that the operation had gone well, and the reattachment attempt appeared successful.
Campaign for Mandatory Protective Gloves
Now eight weeks after the traumatic incident, Lewis has revealed that the reattached portion of Beau's finger has unfortunately failed to heal properly. This means the tissue will either detach naturally or require another minor surgical procedure for removal.
"It's completely broke me & still to this day I can't believe it's happened," Lewis confessed in her emotional post. "As I'll never be able to bring his finger back, I'd love all your support in helping me change the Law to stop this happening to other children."
The former reality television star has launched an official government petition calling for legislation that would make protective gloves compulsory for children while ice skating. The petition requires 100,000 signatures to be considered for parliamentary debate.
"I've started a Petition with the government 'to make it compulsory for children to wear protective gloves while ice skating'," Lewis explained. "With 100,000 signatures this petition will be considered for a debate in parliament. I'd be grateful for all your help. I hope one day I can tell Beau I changed the law because of him."
Personal Reflections and Family Background
Lewis shared a poignant video taken from the hospital window on New Year's Eve, which she said made her reflect on "how precious life is, and how everything can change in a matter of seconds."
The television personality and Danny Flasher, who separated in 2023 after seven years together, first met in 2016 and welcomed their son Beau three years later. During an Instagram Q&A session following their separation, Lewis described the preceding years as "rubbish" and "complicated," confirming she had become a single mother.
"I'm quite private about my personal life, find it hard to deal with it all anyway let alone having everyone's opinion," she added at the time. "But try my best to show what I can."
The accident has prompted widespread concern about ice skating safety for children, with Lewis's campaign gaining attention across social media platforms as parents and safety advocates discuss the need for better protective measures at public skating facilities.
