Australia - An Australian model has announced that she is expecting a child by her boyfriend – even though he passed away almost a year ago.

Australian Alex Pullin was a world champion snowboarder in 2011 and 2013, and was even asked to carry the Australian flag at the opening ceremony of the 2014 Winter Olympics.

But then tragedy struck in July 2020, when a spearfishing accident killed him at the age of only 32. This makes it all the more strange that the Olympian is now becoming a posthumous father.

His girlfriend Ellidy Vlug (28) recently posted a photo on her Instagram channel, showing her growing baby bump.

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The child definitely belongs to "Chumpy" – Alex Pullin's nickname – and is expected to be born in October, meaning Vlug could have only gotten pregnant earlier this year, six months after her boyfriend's death.

How is that possible? There's artificial insemination of course but Pullin hadn't preserved a sample of his sperm before dying, so that can't be it.

Ellidy told Australian news site 7News that she and her boyfriend had been trying to become parents for years, and had considered artificial insemination before, but had apparently not yet taken steps in that direction.

That's why doctors had to act quickly to harvest sperm from the testicles of Pullin's body, which was still possible within 36 hours of his death, the Vlug said.

"We went all out," the expectant mother reported. "We were able to hustle – Chumpy’s parents were in town, everyone was signing court documents, legal documents, and dealing with the coroners, and the lawyers ,and the doctors."

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She couldn't believe herself telling anyone this story, saying the whole thing was an emotional roller coaster for her, but her pregnancy was also "the greatest gift."

"It didn't turn out the way we planned," Ellidy says. "Life is crazy, but we're still having our baby!"