The girlfriend of a boxer who died in a tragic snorkelling accident has given birth to their child after finding out she was pregnant just weeks after his death.
Ellyn Rungay described her son Jesse Cameron Rungay-Shaw as “an amazing little miracle” after a diving disaster in Australia killed her partner and father of her child Cam Shaw.
The 25-year-old, from York, had been snorkelling around the Great Barrier Reef in October 2022 with Ellyn and their friends when he got into trouble in the water.
An inquest later confirmed the boxer had died from drowning. After returning home to the UK, Ellyn announced in December that she was expecting the couple’s first baby.
At the time, she described it as a “very surreal situation”, making the heartbreaking revelation that Cam was put to rest with a print-out of their baby’s first scan.
Jess, who takes his middle name from his late dad, was born on July 4 weighing 7lb and 4oz. Ellyn, 28, said Cam would be in sheer disbelief at the news.
She said: “I’m sure Cam is shining down on us all – he probably would think he can’t believe what’s happened. He’s the most amazing little miracle. It was an amazing delivery, everything went really well. I can’t believe he’s here really. It’s been a whirlwind of emotions, but we are just so grateful that he’s here and he’s healthy. He has brought a lot of joy.”
Ms Rungay revealed she chose the name “Jesse” as it was one she and Cam “both loved”, adding she knows he “would have approved of it”. The couple had been together for seven months and were travelling in Australia at the time and were in Cairns on an organised excursion when the tragedy happened on October 24.
“Jesse means gift from God and that’s what he is,” she said. “When we used to speak about the future, Jesse was a name Cam and I both loved, so in a way we have both chosen it and I know that he would have approved.” Mr Shaw won the Amateur Boxing Association’s Elite 60kg title in 2018, and the gold medal at the prestigious Hivdovre Box Cup in Denmark the year before his death.
The talented sportsman had turned professional, but his boxing career was put on hold due to Covid.
Ellyn lives with her parents Chris and Keri in Hockley, Essex, but Cam’s parents Rod and Nova made the 200-mile journey to meet their new grandson. She added she was also planning to visit them with Jesse in the coming weeks.
She said: “I am so lucky. I have got my parents and Cam’s parents, everyone has been so supportive. I can’t wait to come up to York to show him off to the rest of Cam’s family and friends. Cam would just be so happy that my family and his family are all together, we’re like one big family. His friends have been amazing, it’s been amazing how everyone has just come together.”
An inquest was opened by a corner at Northallerton coroners court in North Yorkshire, on November 22, which confirmed that Cam had drowned. The hearing was adjourned and is expected to be concluded at a later date.
