A Spanish actress hit headlines a few years ago after making a rather peculiar decision involving her dead son’s sp:erm.
Ana Obregón was heartbroken when her son, Aless Lequio, died of cancer back in 2022 but hoped to carry out his ‘last wish’, which she said was to have a child.
And in 2023, Ana welcomed a baby via surrogate using her deceased son’s sp:erm.
However, she later clarified that the child – named Anita – was actually her granddaughter.
“This girl is not my daughter, she is my granddaughter. She is Aless’ daughter and when she grows up I will tell her that her dad was a hero, so she knows who he is and how proud she should be of him,” Ana told ¡Hola! in April 2023.
Speaking to Spanish TV over the weekend, Ana opened up about the joy she feels with her granddaughter, despite still mourning the loss of Aless.
She said her home ‘is full of stuffed animals and toys’, adding: “I even have a little ball pool where she makes me dive in.”
Actress Ana Obregón has spoken out at how happy her grandaughter makes her following son’s d.eath (Europa Press/Europa Press via Getty Images)
However, she added that interacting with baby Anita, such as picking her up, was getting more difficult as the child gets older as it hurts her back.
Ana also reflected on the shock of learning that her young son had an aggressive cancer.
The 70-year-old continued: “We live our whole lives saying that we are eternal and nothing happens here.
“Suddenly, one day they tell you at 25 years old that you have an aggressive cancer.
“You think, that’s not what they told you when you were little. So I have many more fears [with Ana], more than when I had Aless.”
When Ana publicly announced that the child was conceived via surrogacy, it caused a stir in Spain due to the unique situation and the fact surrogacy is illegal in the country.
It is lawful to adopt a child who was born abroad, however, Anita was born via surrogate in the US. Following the birth, Ana adopted the child which made her the legal guardian.
Ana has defended herself from critics (Pablo Cuadra/WireImage)
Previously speaking about the anguish of losing her son, Ana said that she considered herself ‘d.ead for three years’ after Aless’ passing.
She noted that her Anita’s arrival ‘resurrected her’.
In an interview with ¡Hola! to mark her granddaughter’s second birthday in March this year, Ana admitted: “I know I’ll never feel the happiness I had when Aless was with me again.
“That pain will never go away. You don’t accept or get over the d.eath of a child.
“You end up accepting that you’ll never be able to come to terms with their departure.
“Fortunately, Anita now fills my days. I was d.ead for three years from Aless’ d.eath until Anita was born… Life is a breath of fresh air.”