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Celebrity Couple Turns Tragedy Into Message Of Hope

I don’t think you would find anyone who would argue that the loss of a child is without a doubt one of the most devastating events that can occur in a family. So imagine how difficult the tragedy would be to endure when you have television cameras documenting the entire ordeal.

That’s the situation rapper-turned-minister Joseph “Rev. Run” Simmons and his wife of 12 years, Justine went through as they were filming their MTV reality series “Run’s House.” Last year, the couple decided to add to their family of seven (they have five children ranging in age from 23 to 10). BUt, according to the former Run-DMC member, about halfway through his wife’s pregnancy doctors discovered their baby had an omphalocele, a birth defect that caused the child’s organs to grow outside of its body.

The couple, who consider themselves “devoutly religious,” say they never considered ending the pregnancy and last September Justine gave birth via C-section to a 4-lb., 5-oz. girl whom the couple named Victoria Anne. According to Simmons, the baby died less than two hours after her birth.

After hearing this one would assume the family would want some private time to grieve the loss of their little girl. However, the Simmons’ said instead of telling the camera crew to pack up they allowed MTV to document their ordeal for the third season of “Run’s House,” which airs this month.

The Simmons’ say they hope that their openness about the loss of their baby will illustrate their strong faith and give hope to others who have gone through similar situations.

According to 43-year-old Justine, her pregnancy was a miracle, though not without complications. She writes on the MTV website that she didn’t eat through much of her pregnancy and barely gained weight. Still, the couple says they “walked in faith” and hoped for the best. They say that same faith in God is what has helped them survive the days following their daughter’s death.

A final note: The Simmons’ say they are now in the process of adopting a baby girl.

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This entry was posted in Famous Musicians/Composers and tagged , , , by Michele Cheplic. Bookmark the permalink.

About Michele Cheplic

Michele Cheplic was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, but now lives in Wisconsin. Michele graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Journalism. She spent the next ten years as a television anchor and reporter at various stations throughout the country (from the CBS affiliate in Honolulu to the NBC affiliate in Green Bay). She has won numerous honors including an Emmy Award and multiple Edward R. Murrow awards honoring outstanding achievements in broadcast journalism. In addition, she has received awards from the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association for her reports on air travel and the Wisconsin Education Association Council for her stories on education. Michele has since left television to concentrate on being a mom and freelance writer.