Heartbreak on The Repair Shop as couple shares family tragedy and how a painting is helping heal them

July 18, 20243 Mins Read

BBC’s The Repair Shop presented another heart-rending episode with a couple disclosing their family tragedy on the BBC programme.

Jenny Halse and her husband James came forward about their son Elijah, who was born prematurely and tragically died after just 37 days. They took solace in a seaside painting, a cherished heirloom passed down from James’ grandparents, which served as a touchstone for their connection to Elijah and supported their grieving process.

The artwork was brought to the show for mending, leading to a powerful episode. Their response to the pristinely restored painting was moving, reports The Express.

James opened up to the hosts about how the painting summoned memories of the Pembrokeshire coast, a “very special place” where they had been holidaying during the year Elijah passed away.

(Image: (Image: BBC))

Struggling to keep her composure, Jenny revealed: “He was 25 weeks and three days when he was born so he was tiny… I waited 16 days for a proper cuddle. It was amazing. He was perfect and miniature and then he got really, really sick. They performed surgery on him and he was stabilising but his brain had been catastrophically damaged. He was never going to make it out of neo-natal care.

“His arrival and departure was a life-changing experience for us. I think you have before Elijah and you have after Elijah. And we’re alright. Not all of that is bad.”

James inherited the painting from his grandparents(Image: (Image: BBC))

“We’ve been back to Pembrokeshire most years. It feels like a little extra place where we belong and that holds very special memories.”

James added: “I think it’s a good metaphor for grief in terms of it can be quite calm sometimes but sometimes quite rough and choppy and unpredictable. That’s what spoke to us about the painting.”

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