Ashley Cain has announced the birth of his baby boy on Instagram.
The former footballer revealed that the name of his son is Aliyas Diamond Cain, bearing quite the similarity to his late daughter.
Ashley and his ex Safiyya Vorajee tragically lost their daughter Azaylia when she was just eight months old in 2021, after she was diagnosed with a rare cancer.
In his Instagram post, the father wrote: “Aliyas Diamond Cain – 16.01.24, 4:32am, 9lbs 3oz. I will love you, appreciate you, guide you and protect you with all of my heart, for the rest of my life & you will have the most beautiful guardian angel heaven holds watching over you and protecting you too.”
“Welcome to the world my son. May your body be strong, your mind be wise, your heart be loving and your spirit be pure and truly powerful. 🩵”
Ashley announced the news he was expecting another baby in December last year.
View this post on Instagram
Speaking at the time about going to his daughter’s grave to share the news that he was having another child, the former footballer said: “After going to her resting place and speaking to her about it, I just had a feeling in my heart and in my soul that she was happy for me.”
“She was happy that she had a little brother and it is now just someone else for her to watch over and protect in this world.”
Ashley had been preparing to take on the Yukon 1000 — the world’s toughest survival endurance race from Canada when he was told he would be a father again.
“I got a call from a girl I was seeing who I have known since I was 18, we are friends and have met up on and off over the years.” he said.
“She is a really nice person and good to be around. I got a message saying that she needed to speak to me so I went to see her and she told me she was pregnant — I can’t put into words how that felt.
“The thought of potentially having another child after losing one was very difficult to understand for me…I truly understood that every child that comes into this world is a blessing.”
Fans have commented under the post to share their thoughts on the name chosen by the former footballer.
One user shared her disgust and said: “Sorry but calling your son an extremely similar name and using the middle name of your daughter is a huge huge kick in the teeth too poor Saffiya. Very low move.”
Another wrote: “As a mother to an angel in heaven myself I wouldn’t normally comment but your sons name and the fact you have used diamond I actually find so disrespectful to your late daughter and mother of the child. That’s a real low blow.”
