PRIDE tinged with sorrow fills Emma Bloice’s heart every time she cradles her beloved newborn baby Amber.
For Emma, 30, knows that however many times she cuddles her daughter, Amber’s dad will never get to hold her.
Kyle Stock, a soldier who survived tours of duty in war-torn Iraq and Afghanistan, was killed in a motorbike accident when Emma was four months pregnant.
The couple had been thrilled to get news of Emma’s pregnancy and Kyle was looking forward to starting a new career in engineering.
But their world collapsed in May, when Kyle was killed when the motorcycle he was riding crashed with a lorry in Grassington, North Yorkshire.
Emma, from Birstall, gave birth to the couple’s daughter two weeks ago, with Kyle’s mum taking his place at the hospital.
Today, speaking for the first time, Emma told the YEP: “I have had to be strong for Amber’s sake.
“You can definitely see Kyle in her – she’s got his chin and his eyes.”
Emma met Kyle, 25, during a night out in Halifax in 2010. She said: “I fell for him pretty quickly. He was funny, good looking and just an amazing person.
“We were both very happy and excited about the baby and had just started getting the nursery ready.
“At the time we didn’t know we were having a girl but we’d already both chosen the name Amber. It’s really helped having her to focus on. She’s kept everybody going.
“Amber will know everything about her dad.
“We’ve got pictures and the tributes on his Facebook page that we can show her.”
Kyle’s mum Joanne said: “Amber is absolutely perfect and part of Kyle will live on in her.
“Everywhere you go, somebody knows him. Even one of the midwives went to school with him.
“I was so relieved when he left the army because I thought I didn’t have to worry about him any more but then the accident happened.”
Kyle also leaves behind sister Lauren, 19, and brothers Jake, 10, and Aaron, 18.
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