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San Francisco 49ers tight George Kittle and his wife Claire shared a heartbreaking story on Valentine's Day.
In an Instagram post, Kittle shared that on Christmas morning, the couple learned that she was pregnant. The news made their holiday even more special, but things took a turn a few weeks later.
While undergoing a routine ultrasound, her doctors discovered that she actually had an ectopic pregnancy, meaning that the pregnancy wasn't viable. It is a serious condition that could be life-threatening if not discovered and treated quickly.
Later that evening, Claire had to undergo emergency surgery. This all happened just days before George Kittle and the 49ers faced the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Wild Card round of the playoffs, a game which they went on to win.
"On Christmas morning George and I took a pregnancy test while the rest of our family waited to open presents downstairs. We were about to see the greatest gift, a positive test."
"Fast forward to Jan 10th I had a routine ultrasound putting me right around 7.5 weeks pregnant. The nurse giving my ultra sound went silent for awhile and I asked “I’m still early there’s probably nothing to see yet right?” She responded with “I see a pregnancy here it’s just not in the correct place, it’s ectopic…I felt my soul leave my body as I knew exactly what that meant.
"After hours of evaluating options and speaking with doctors in the ER the decision was made to go into surgery that night. This type of pregnancy is extremely dangerous for the mother if not found early. Im so thankful for the nurses and doctors who found this soon enough and to the Niners for allowing George to sprint out of the building at any given moment. George was my strength when I had none."
Claire Kittle's post was to let others know that they weren't alone if they were facing the same diagnosis. She went on to say that she didn't know much about ectopic pregnancies and that she has learned so much from the experience and leaned on her husband during the trying time.
"We leaned on each other like we never have before. I'm thankful my mom, dad and George's parents were all here to help us. The point of sharing this is not for pity but to acknowledge something extremely personal, hard & emotional that has taken place in our life. To simply talk about it because I felt alone when I got the news, I never knew anyone else who had an ectopic pregnancy before.
"So here’s my direct line to you, i’ve had one, you’re not alone. It sucks, It’s hard, be strong. There’s strength in stories and I hope you can find comfort in ours. These types of things need to be talked about more often. Please keep George and I in your prayers as we don’t really know what to expect moving forward.
"I do know God gives us exactly what we need when we need it. ❤️ So on this Valentines Day I hope you feel love of all kinds. That’s what got us through the worst couple of weeks. If you haven’t heard it lately, you’re capable, you’re loved & you’re never alone. ❤️ Some loving moments from the past two months of our life ❤️
Claire Kittle shared photos from the last two months and said that her hope was that everyone felt love on Valentine's Day, as she did from her husband and family as she navigated through a tough time.
How did George and Claire Kittle meet?
Claire Kittle was a standout track and field and basketball star throughout high school. She went on to play basketball for four years at the University of Iowa, and met George who played for the schools' football team.
The two dated throughout college, and the 49ers tight end proposed in 2018. The couple originally got married in a small ceremony in April 2019 but then had a more formal and bigger ceremony in April 2021.
Claire has a Bachelor's degree in Health and Human Physiology and owns her own business called Claire Till Fitness, with Till being her maiden name. She is also a certified personal trainer.
