Widow's devastating reveal after birth of Chumpy Pullin's baby
The widow and new mother of Alex 'Chumpy' Pullin's baby girl has revealed details of the late snowboarding legend's final selfless act before his tragic death.
Pullin, a world champion snowboarder who carried the flag for Australia at the opening ceremony of the 2014 Winter Olympics, died in 2020 in a spearfishing accident.
SO SAD: Australian cricket in mourning after triple tragedy
DRAMA: Controversy erupts over Greg Norman's $266m Saudi Arabia deal
He lost consciousness while underwater and drowned at Palm Beach on the Gold Coast.
Chumpy's partner Ellidy Vlug - who last week announced on Instagram that she'd given birth to the couple's child 16 months after his death - said her final moments with the snowboarder revealed the selfless and thoughtful nature of her late partner.
In an emotionally charged interview with Seven’s Spotlight that was broadcast on Sunday night, Vlug said Chumpy decided to go spearfishing on the day he died so he could catch dinner for friends that were set to come over for a catch-up.
“We woke up, we had friends coming from Sydney. Chump had in his head he’d go spearfishing and grab dinner for everyone,” she said.
“Just before he drove away I was talking to him through the window. We were talking about shutting the garage. He got out of the car and was laughing and grabbing me and said, ‘You’re so ditzy’.
“All I remember is he got out and gave me one more hug.”
Pullin's tragic death rocked Australia but in a heartwarming twist, Vlug revealed in July that she had fallen pregnant with his child - through IVF.
Vlug said a doctor was able to secure healthy sperm from Pullin’s body in the days after his death.
In a recent episode of her podcast, Vlug revealed her sadness at the fact Chumpy never got to experience fatherhood and said the birth of their daughter would be "bittersweet".
Widow's great sadness for Alex Pullin
“I’m having a baby which is going to be the most beautiful thing ever and bittersweet in that it’s almost going to create more trauma here and there,” she said.
“It’s really hard to swallow the fact that he’s missing this, he deserves this time, he wanted this, he would have been the best dad.
“My grief is for Chump, he’s missing out on being a dad.
"I see dads with their babies knowing how good he would have been.
“Every day I go to the beach and I see guys walking along the beach with their chicks and the guy is carrying the baby in the carrier on his chest and the girl’s got the dog.
“When I see a dad with a baby it f***ing kills me, and I am so happy for that person, it’s not a pity party here."
Vlug took to Instagram on Thursday to share the heartwarming news about the birth of the couple's baby girl.
“Hello - I have a baby!” she wrote. “And we have been a lil busy and tired.”
The announcement sparked an outpouring of congratulations from some of the biggest names in Australian sport.
Click here to sign up to our newsletter for all the latest and breaking stories from Australia and around the world.
