James Green always dreamed of being a dad. When he and his wife, Cloe, had their first child, he was thrilled. After their second, they decided to build a big family. Each time Cloe thought they were done, James would smile and say, “Just one more, Clo.”
Though Cloe was a full-time mom, James worked from home so he could be hands-on—doing school runs, playing, and reading with the kids every evening. He was energetic, loving, and seemed healthy.
Their fifth child, Miley, was born with cerebral palsy, prompting them to stop growing the family. Cloe even got a contraceptive implant. But when she unexpectedly became pregnant again, James called it fate. They went on to have eight children in total, including two more with cerebral palsy.
James embraced fatherhood with passion. His life revolved around their children. But just 12 weeks after their youngest, Elijah, was born, tragedy struck. James woke up at 4:30 a.m. feeling numb, went into a seizure, and stopped breathing. Despite CPR and paramedics’ efforts, he died in bed. He was only 31.
The cause was hypertensive heart disease—undiagnosed high blood pressure.
Cloe was devastated but found strength in their children. “I looked at eight little faces depending on me and knew I had to do this for them and for James,” she said.
She keeps James’s memory alive through their children, who were his greatest joy. The community has rallied around her, even raising funds to create a play space for the kids. Cloe continues to face life’s challenges with the love and strength James left behind.