Joe Thompson's widow pregnant using frozen embryos a year after his death

Ex-Manchester United and Rochdale FC star Joe passed away in 2025 after being diagnosed with Hodgkin Lymphoma for a third time. The cancer had spread to his lungs and he tragically died at just 36 years of age.

His widow Chantelle said: "It just means absolutely everything. I know it's never going to replace Joe obviously. Joe's Joe. But to be able to bring his baby into the world again is beautiful."

Chantelle revealed that she and Joe had shared two visions of their family featuring a baby boy prior to his death. Joe had even chosen a name for the baby, and his wife conceived on her very first IVF attempt following his passing.

"Maybe two weeks before he passed, we were just sat in the garden and he just had a realisation and was like, 'I think I was watching you with the baby and the girls in the garden, not me physically here with you'," she said, reported ITV, reports the Mirror.

The mum-to-be said doesn't yetyet know the gender of the baby, with an unopened email containing the details sitting on her computer. She plans to find out alongside Joe's family at a small gathering.

Chantelle said she is 25 weeks pregnant and was with her daughters in Bali, Indonesia, when she discovered she was expecting. Their daughter Lula said: "When it had two lines I was in shock, my brain went completely blank. I was happy but I was just so surprised."

Joe and Chantelle previously lost their child Dre, who tragically died three days before he was due. The mum spoke about Dre, adding: "It means absolutely everything, and to be blessed for it to work first time.

"We'd gone through IVF for three years trying to get pregnant with baby Dre. But I just knew, I knew the timing was right, I knew Joe's messages were right."

Ahead of the baby's expected arrival, friends, family and fans will retrace Joe's 2024 fundraising walk on May 2. The walk will begin at Rochdale and will conclude at Manchester United's stadium, Old Trafford.

"It's just something we want to do annually, just to celebrate Joe and remember Joe, because life does go on for everyone else as well, and I think for us it's important that we can continue the work he did when he was here, and keep that alive," Chantelle added.

Chantelle revealed she is feeling anxious ahead of the anniversary of his death on April 17. She added: "I try to see the positive in things. Don't get me wrong, there is times where I do think 'Why us? Why have the girls not their dad? Why have we gone through this?'"