I'm raising the baby of my husband's ex-wife, she died five days after giving birth

A female is lifting nan lid connected her acquisition raising nan babe of her husband's ex-wife aft his erstwhile spouse tragically died conscionable days pursuing childbirth.

In August 2021, Christie Werts, 49, and hubby Wesley, 46, from Ohio, were engulfed successful interest erstwhile they received nan telephone telephone that changed their life forever. 

The personification connected nan different extremity of nan statement revealed that Wesley's ex-wife - who was pregnant - had been admitted into nan infirmary pinch COVID. 

Wesley was warned that his erstwhile spouse - who was 33 weeks pregnant - was highly unwell and doctors weren't judge if she would make it. 

Christie - who had ne'er met her spouse's ex - jumped into action and assured her hubby that if she didn't make it, they would adopt nan babe and raise nan kid arsenic their own. 

After being induced, his ex-wife gave commencement to babe Levi astatine 33 weeks. 

However, she tragically suffered a changeable 5 days later and passed away. 

'When my hubby told maine what was happening I told him we could return nan baby,' Christie said.

Devastated, Christie - who was a foster kid herself - reached retired to Child Protection Service (CPS), and told them she and Wesley wanted to raise Levi.

Levi was calved connected August 23, 2021, weighing 4lbs 9oz.

'It wasn't easy. As Levi was calved successful Texas and we lived successful Ohio we could person done a authorities transportation to foster him but that would return 1 twelvemonth astatine least,' Christie said.

'He would spell into foster attraction during that clip and we didn't want that.'

Fearful he would beryllium fostered while nan take was being considered, nan family packed up their belongings and moved 1,400 miles miles from Toledo, Ohio, to San Antonio, Texas.

'I was a foster kid myself and I didn't want him to spell into nan foster attraction system. We sold our location and moved to Texas. He was placed pinch maine correct disconnected nan bat,' Christie said.

'Everyone was onboard pinch nan move arsenic it was to support Levi retired of foster care. It was difficult for nan kids arsenic they had settled and had friends - we had been established successful our town.

'We conscionable wanted to make judge Levi was pinch us.'

Meanwhile, Wesley said he didn't mobility adopting Levi.  

'I did not deliberation doubly astir adopting Levi. I fell successful emotion pinch him immediately. I had nan aforesaid emotion for him arsenic I did my different children,' Wesley added.

'He has made maine recognize I needed to extremity making activity a privilege and attraction connected being a dada much than a provider.

'I worked truthful overmuch erstwhile my different kids were smaller, I missed a lot. He besides makes maine excited astir nan mini things again.'

Once they arrived to Texas, they fostered 11-day-old Levi and adopted him complete a twelvemonth later. 

Christie moved to Texas successful September 2021 and stayed pinch her husband's erstwhile sister-in-law for a period earlier nan family moved successful October 2021.

'We each wanted to make judge that Levi was pinch america but transitioning children to different authorities was hard,' she said.

'Eventually everyone settled, particularly Levi's half siblings.' 

Levi, now two, is 'part of nan family' - alongside their 4 children from Christie and Wesley's erstwhile marriages.

After surviving successful San Antonio, Texas, for 16 months, nan family moved backmost to Toledo, Ohio, wherever they unrecorded connected a farm.

Despite Levi being conscionable days aged erstwhile his mom died, Christie said she was wished to support his mom's representation alive.

'We person started having small conversations pinch him but he doesn't comprehend it completely,' she said.

'I americium going to put pictures successful his room and person her visible - we are not going to hide her from him.

'We will show Levi he is very loved but we cognize he will spell done emotions, having his relative and sister pinch him will beryllium good.

'I americium going to constitute a personalized book and stock his mom's communicative pinch him.'

Christie said Levi was 'independent' and 'full of life'.

'He wants to do everything himself. I will induce him to effort and do things pinch me,' she said.

'If I americium cooking I will induce him, we unrecorded connected a farm, he is very independent and very smart.

'He knows his alphabet and he is afloat of life and curiosity, he is nan youngest successful our family and nan halfway of our attention.'