Former rugby league star Tom Burgess and his wife, model Tahlia Giumelli, have shared the devastating news of losing a pregnancy following a sudden medical emergency.
A Joyful Surprise Turns to Tragedy
The couple, who already have three children, discovered they were expecting their fourth child last month. Tahlia described the news as "the surprise of a lifetime," a moment filled with overwhelming emotion that soon settled into joy.
That joy was tragically short-lived. While Burgess, the former South Sydney Rabbitohs forward, was away for work, Giumelli's health rapidly deteriorated. What was initially thought to be a miscarriage was later diagnosed as a life-threatening ectopic pregnancy.
Emergency Surgery and Profound Loss
An ectopic pregnancy occurs when a fertilised egg implants outside the uterus, most commonly in a fallopian tube. It is a serious condition that requires urgent medical intervention.
"Joy turned into fear," Tahlia wrote in a candid Instagram post. "What we thought was a miscarriage became something more urgent, more complex. An ectopic pregnancy. Emergency surgery."
She poignantly described the dual loss: "The loss of a baby, and the loss of a part of my body I never imagined saying goodbye to."
A Message of Awareness, Not Sympathy
Giumelli was keen to stress that her post was not a plea for sympathy, but rather a call for greater awareness of ectopic pregnancies and the often silent grief that accompanies them.
"This is a post for awareness," she explained. "For the quiet grief that doesn’t always have language. For the women navigating loss alongside hospital rooms, monitors, fear, and shock."
She emphasised the isolating nature of such an experience, stating: "Because it can feel unbearably lonely. To grieve a baby while your body is still fighting, to hold heartbreak and recovery in the same breath."
The model expressed deep gratitude for her support network, including her husband who "dropped everything" and the "village of women" who stepped forward.
Life in the UK and Recent Family Joy
The family tragedy comes just months after the couple welcomed their third child, son Alfie Mark Burgess, on August 8, 2024. The newborn weighed 4kg and measured 54cm at birth.
In a heartwarming twist, Tahlia previously revealed that Tom assisted in delivering one of their daughters before rushing to play a game for the Rabbitohs. He repeated this act of support at Alfie's birth, helping to deliver his son before heading to a match.
The Burgess family now resides in the UK, where Tom plays for the Huddersfield Giants. Tahlia has spoken openly about the challenges of motherhood and her diagnosis with ADHD, describing the exhaustion of keeping up with housework and a dwindling social life.
By sharing their deeply personal story, Tom Burgess and Tahlia Giumelli hope to shed light on ectopic pregnancy and offer solidarity to others walking a similar path of loss.
