The mother of two young children who were killed in a horrific crash on the M4 has shared the news that she is pregnant with another child - with the due date being her daughter's birthday. Four-year-old Gracie-Ann Lucas and her three-year-old brother Jayden-Lee Lucas were killed by a van driver who had been drinking and had taken drugs while travelling home from a friend's birthday party.
The two children were in a car with their mother Rhiannon Lucas and her partner when their car was hit by the van on the M4 in February. Tragically both siblings, also known by the surname Wheaton, died within days of each other while Rhiannon sustained serious injuries.
It was later heard in court how Martin Newman, 41, was high on drink and drugs when he smashed into the stationary vehicle on the M4 westbound carriageway between junctions 28 and 29 in Newport. Newman was found by police to be more than twice the drink-driving limit after going out with colleagues the night before the crash, and had drunk 10 cans of Strongbow and taken cocaine once he returned to his hotel room.
Read more: 'I have to go to the graveyard to see my children because of a drunk van driver'
At a sentencing hearing Newman – who admitted two counts of causing death by dangerous driving, and one of causing serious injury to the children's mother by dangerous driving, and charges of drink-driving and drug-driving – was jailed for nine years and four months. He will serve just over four years in custody. The children's family, from Tredegar, had appealed this sentence, however, it was denied.
Now Rhiannon and her partner Adam Saunders - who was a stepfather to Jayden and Gracie - have announced they are expecting a child. Miraculously, the child's due date has been announced as April 10, 2023, what would have been Gracie-Ann's sixth birthday.
Adam and Rhiannon have been in a relationship for just over 22 months and this will be Adam's first child and Rhiannon's third. He said that they found out about the pregnancy when Rhiannon was around eight weeks and were told about the incredible due date at the 12-week scan.
Adam, 27, who works in the call centre industry, has said the pregnancy is keeping the pair "sane". He said: "After everything we have been through, this is something to keep us sane and positive and happy to look forward to now.
"Obviously, we will never forget Jayden and Gracie but it's something we don't have to always dwell on and always have sad moments, we have happy memories to look back on. This [the pregnancy] is something now for us to focus on and look forward to. It's something lovely to happen to us after everything that has happened."
Adam said that when he was told about the due date and realised its significance, he was "gobsmacked" and thinks it is a message from the children. He said: "It's like fate. For the due date to be on Gracie's birthday, it's like the kids were sending us a message. I was hands in my face gobsmacked. I was speechless.
"For my first child and Rhiannon's third, to be due on Gracie's birthday, well it's incredible. It's a special child." Given it's only just over seven months since the children's tragic death, Adam said there were a lot of emotions involved in the pregnancy, especially for mum Rhiannon who is still battling her own injuries.
"Emotions are definitely high but there have always been smiles on our faces since we found out, we're always talking about it, always on our mind. Anything we do talk about in terms of Gracie and Jayden is obviously still very emotional but we talk about them in a happy way, we remember positive memories. They're happy memories, we're smiling when we talk about them."
The young siblings had a joint funeral on March 21 in which the emotional service saw the children's favourite cartoon characters lead the procession, and doves released into the air as hundreds gathered on the streets to mourn their tragic death. You can read more about that here.
"Me and Rhiannon go up the graveside quite frequently," said Adam, "And I've got to be honest the first time we went to the grave after we found out it was like announcing the news to them that they're having a brother or sister.
"Although they are gone they're still with us in our hearts and as far as we are concerned, Gracie and Jayden are having a little brother or sister. We did get emotional then. It was like we were telling them the news, without being able to physically tell them the news."
"But we know they are looking down on us and knew what we told them. And now they'll certainly have some involvement. They're making sure they are involved and sending a message with the due date on Gracie's birthday. And now they'll certainly have some involvement. This is something lovely and exciting for us all now."
Read next:
- Doves released into the air at Frozen and Spiderman themed funeral for brother and sister killed in M4 crash
- Jail sentence of van driver who killed brother and sister in M4 crash to be reviewed
- 'I have to go to the graveyard to see my children because of a drunk van driver'
- 'Those kids haven't had justice': Anger of grandfather of two children killed by drink driver at sentence decision
- 'We still have no idea what started the fire that killed our sister in her home'
