It was an emotional roller-coaster for Lauren Goodger last week as she faced the devastating task of planning her baby’s funeral while celebrating her eldest daughter Larose’s first birthday.
Just two weeks ago, Lauren, 35, announced her heartbreaking news to fans on Instagram that her second daughter, Lorena, had passed away, sharing a picture of herself holding her baby’s tiny hand. She wrote, “Words can’t describe as a mother losing your baby that I carried for all these months perfectly and gave birth to for my angel to be taken from me.
“I will never, ever get over this but I will learn how to live every day with Lorena in my heart. She will be with me always, and I will be with her again one day.”
Now pals say that having Larose’s birthday was bittersweet after such a tragic loss, but Lauren did everything to make sure her daughter had the best day.
A source says, “Lauren is still suffering so much but she’s adamant she’ll carry on for Larose. She’s her number one priority. She made her first birthday really special and pulled out all the stops. She chose an amazing venue in Essex and had a pink, white and gold theme – there was a big cake, balloons and lots of presents, including a gigantic hamper from Hamleys. It really helped her focus on something else after such a distressing couple of weeks.”
And sources say Lauren – who tragically had only just found out that her ex Jake McLean had died in a car accidentjust days before losing her baby – has been overwhelmed by the support she’s received.
Her pal adds, “Lauren had celeb friends like Chloe Goodman, Marnie Simpson, Amy Childs and Frankie Essex at the party, they’ve all rallied around her – but she’s been overwhelmed by the kindness of total strangers. She’s had hundreds of messages of support and it’s meant so much.
“Sadly, alongside the party, she was having to think about planning for the funeral, which was so upsetting. She kept thinking that her baby should have been celebrating with Larose but instead, she was planning her goodbye.”
The former TOWIE star announced her second pregnancy in January 2022, while she and partner Charles briefly split up for three weeks.
He has also expressed his agony over their loss, writing, “Your little heart will forever beat inside mine […] It’s like a bad dream I can’t wake from. I promise you I’ll look after your mummy & sister forever...”
A source says, “Charles has been making a massive fuss of Larose and wanted to make a real effort for her birthday. Lauren’s been turning to him for support – they’re both in pieces and they know it’s a long journey ahead.
“Lauren’s a fantastic mum and she just wants to make sure Larose is happy while she struggles through this painful time. She’s taking one day at a time and she’s trying to think positively as she navigates her way through this.”
