Kym Marsh penned a heartbreaking tribute to her late son Archie as she celebrated the ‘wonderful young man he would have been’. 

The actress, 47, and her now ex-husband Jamie Lomas, 48, were left heartbroken when their baby boy was stillborn at just 21 weeks following a premature birth in February 2009. 

Taking to Instagram on Tuesday, Kym shared a touching a collection of items to remember her son, including a picture of baby Archie’s footprint.

She opened up about the ‘pain’ felt all those years later but shared her graтιтude that Archie was now kept company by her father David – who pᴀssed away in January of last year after a long battle with cancer. 

’16 years without you,’ she wrote. ‘It feels like yesterday we said goodbye. Every year I try to write something new. But the fact is that there is nothing new to say. 

‘I still miss you every day, that will never change. I still hurt and feel pain the same as always. I still would give anything to have you here with us to celebrate your birthday. 

Kym Marsh penned a heartbreaking tribute to her late son Archie on Instagram on Tuesday as she celebrated the ‘wonderful young man he would have been’

Taking to Instagram on Tuesday, Kym shared a touching a collection of items to remember her son, including a picture of baby Archie’s footprint

‘To see you smile when you opened your gifts, to hear you laugh at the silly things people would write in your cards, to see Polly annoying her big brother and the two of you doing the silly bickering that siblings do, to give me a hug and tell me you love me, but that I needed to let go now cos I’m embarrᴀssing you haha.’

She continued: ‘We all miss you so much, there will always be my one missing, but I take great comfort in knowing that grandad is up there with you now. He’s hugging you for me, for us. He’s making you laugh with his silly jokes and he’s showing you how much you’re loved every day. 

‘I wonder what you would look like now? If you’re anything like your siblings then you’re a beauty. They miss you Arch. They really do. We all do. 

‘We will honour you today kiddo and celebrate the wonderful young man that you would most certainly be. Happy birthday son. Love you always and forever. Mum ❤️❤️❤️.’

Last year, Kym opened up on the ‘stigma’ surrounding talking about the loss of a child, as she admitted she ‘felt very alone’ after her son Archie’s death.

She explained that she struggled talking about her loss at first, out of fear that it would make it feel ‘real’, but that opening up ended up helping her get through her grief, while bringing her family closer.

However, Kym revealed there is a ‘huge taboo’ around talking about losing a child, as it ‘makes people uncomfortable’, which left her feeling ‘alone and isolated’.

Speaking to OK!, she said: ‘Initially I didn’t want to talk about it at all. Part of me felt if I didn’t talk about it, then it wasn’t real. But talking about Archie has helped me and that’s why I try to encourage people to talk as much as possible. 

The actress, 47, and her now ex-husband Jamie Lomas, 48, were left heartbroken when their baby boy was stillborn at just 21 weeks following a premature birth in February 2009 (Seen together in 2009)

She opened up about the ‘pain’ felt all those years later but shared her graтιтude that Archie was now kept company by her father David – who pᴀssed away in January of last year after a long battle with cancer (Seen together in 2020) 

‘There’s still a huge taboo around the subject because nobody wants to talk about a baby who has died – it makes people uncomfortable. It can be a very lonely place. Certainly for me as a mother, I felt very alone and quite isolated. 

‘But when we started speaking as a family and I realised that everyone else was suffering, that’s been key to bringing us all together. The more we talk, the more we see change, but there is always more to be done.’

Kym said that she now makes sure to talk about Archie constantly and explained her and Jamie’s daughter Polly, 13, has been brought up talking about her big brother.

She added that her two older children, David, 28, and Emilie, 27, have children of their own, who also know about Archie.

She said: ‘He’s part of our lives and through all the special moments, we remember and celebrate him. We never got to know what kind of little boy he would have been, but we talk about him. 

‘My grandchildren talk about him – they know who Archie is and what a significant part of our family he is. 

Kym said that she now makes sure to talk about Archie constantly and explained her and Jamie’s daughter Polly, 13, has been brought up talking about her big brother (Seen in 2019)

‘Polly has only ever known him as her big brother and she’ll often say, “I wish he was here, he’d stick up for me!” And I tell her, “Yes, of course he would”.’

Kym admitted that she sometimes thinks about the boy Archie would have been, quipping that he would likely have been a ‘terror’ and ’15 years old and giving me a nightmare!’

She said she imagines he would have looked like his sister Polly, adding that whatever he would have been like, ‘he is very, very loved’. 

For help and support with baby loss contact Tommy’s, a miscarriage, premature birth and stillbirth charity, at [email protected] or call 0800 0147 800