Kyra Welch says the loss of her son Kaiden in October 2021 left a pain that “never goes away” - and that four years on she is still learning how to live with her grief.

Kaiden was born in June 2013 with congenital heart disease and underwent open-heart surgery when he was just three days old. Doctors could not predict how long he would live.

Despite his condition, he grew into what his mother describes as a joyful, curious boy who loved school, wildlife programmes and learning about the world.

Kaiden and his mum Kyra (Image: Fae Loudon Photography)

“He was pure sunshine,” said Ms Welch, who is married to Jordan and lives in Wicken Green, near Fakenham.

“He was such a happy, smiling little boy and also very clever.

“He was like a sponge, constantly absorbing information, and we used to call him our ‘Mini Attenborough’, because he loved watching wildlife programmes narrated by Sir David Attenborough.

“He was wise beyond his years with an old head on young shoulders.

“He was social, loved meeting new people and wasn’t scared or fazed by anything, which was incredible given the severity of his condition.”

Kaiden, who died in October 2021 (Image: EACH / Submitted)

Although his condition was life-limiting, Kaiden, who went to Holt Primary School, exceeded medical expectations and lived for eight and a half years.

Ms Welch still vividly remembers the moment she was first told there was nothing more doctors could do.

“I remember my legs buckling and ending up on the floor,” the 31-year-old said. “Our families dropped everything and came to the hospital. Everything was a blur.

“But we made it our mission to give him the best life possible. We created memories. He went to school, he had friends and he was happy.”

Kaiden, who died in October 2021 (Image: EACH / Submitted)

Kaiden’s health began to deteriorate shortly after his eighth birthday. One evening, as Ms Welch drove them home, he suddenly turned to her and said: “I’m dying – my heart’s stopping.”

An ambulance was waiting when they arrived home.

“The paramedics tried to reassure me, but I knew something was very wrong,” she said.

In his final weeks, Kaiden became increasingly weak. He moved between hospital and home as his parents tried to honour his wish to be in familiar surroundings.

Shortly before he died, he sat up and spoke his final words.

“He said ‘I love you’, had a drink, then laid back down and snuggled into my arms,” Ms Welch said. “He slowly passed away. It was very peaceful.”

Kaiden, who died in October 2021 (Image: EACH / Submitted)

The loss has left an absence that Ms Welch says is impossible to fill.

“I’m grieving for him, but also for the life he never had,” she said. “I’ll never see him grow up, get married or have children. Even now, it can feel as raw as it did at the beginning.”

She says the reality of grief is often misunderstood, and that support from others can fade after the funeral.

“When Kaiden died, I had hundreds of messages,” she said. “But it’s weeks later, when everything goes quiet, that you feel most alone. That’s when you realise how much your life has changed.”

Kaiden, who died in October 2021 (Image: EACH / Submitted)

Ms Welch attends bereavement support sessions at the Nook, run by East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH).

“People say time is a healer, but for me it gets harder,” she said. “Each year is another year without him.

“I don’t want people to stop talking about Kaiden. I want to talk about him forever. He was my son, and he always will be.”

Ms Welch has become a dedicated champion of EACH, helping organise four black-tie balls that have collectively raised around £50,000.

© Eastern Daily Press