The fiancee of an Australian motocross star, who tragically passed away six months ago, has announced the birth of their first child.
Joel Evans was competing at the ProMX Championship at Gilman, just north of Adelaide, on April 27, when the 30-year-old motorbike rider sustained serious injuries following a crash.
Emergency services arrived at the scene and Evans was rushed to hospital, where he sadly died.
On Wednesday, his partner Michaela Evans took to Instagram to announce that she had given birth to a baby boy named Freddy on October 3.
She published a heartwarming photo of her newborn boy, Freddy, on the social media platform with the caption: ‘Freddy Jae Evans. Our baby boy is earthside, born at 2:22pm on October 3rd.
‘He is the perfect mix of love, strength, and a whole lot of his dad shining through. With all the hair and chubb to go with.’
The fiancee of an Australian motocross star Joel Evans has announced that she has given birth, six months on from her partner’s tragic passing
Joel Evans was competing at the ProMX Championship at Gilman, just north of Adelaide, on April 27, when the 30-year-old motorbike rider sustained serious injuries following a crash. He later died in hospital
Hurt described her fiance as ‘the most incredible person on this earth’ as she mourned him after his tragic death on Sunday
Freddy’s birth comes a year after the couple announced their engagement.
Friends and family members sent their congratulations to Michaela on Instagram, with one writing: ‘Congratulations! He is absolutely beautiful.’
Aussie motocross star Jay Wilson also sent a note of congratulations to Michaela.
‘Wow congrats, we are so happy for you,’ Wilson wrote in the comments of the post.
Michaela, whose previous surname was Hurt, revealed that she had also changed her name to Evans after Freddy’s birth.
After Joel’s passing in April, she had made a touching tribute to her partner on Instagram, revealing that they were expecting a baby.
‘Our beautiful Joely… a piece of you lives on,’ she wrote.
‘Yesterday we lost the most incredible person on this earth. The most authentic, loved and kind-hearted soul. He loved and devoted his life to this sport which brought him so much joy and he rode it out right till the end.
Evans – who had fought back from almost being paralysed in a previous accident – is being mourned by family and friends
Police have appealed for help from witnesses to the crash that cost the Queensland-born racer (pictured with his fiancee) his life
‘We are so grateful for the outpouring of love and support for our beautiful man. He is such a loved partner, uncle, brother, friend and son but most proudly a father to our adored little boy who is joining us in October.
‘Please share his name, share his legacy, this incredible man deserves to be remembered across the generations.
‘We love you so much, Joely.’
Joel, who was born in 1994, was introduced to the sport at a young age. Growing up, he raced on 50cc bikes and would later pursue a career in the sport. He travelled around Australia competing and also documented much of his motorsport journey on his YouTube channel.
In 2015, Joel was involved in an accident at Murray Bridge, South Australia, that almost left him paralysed.
The motorbike rider lost control of his bike while navigating a section of track. He broke his C5 and C6 vertebrae in his spine.
‘I went to get up and nothing happened,’ he recalled in 2016.
‘I just remember the feeling of nothing, and how scared I was.’
Evans (pictured competing in Melbourne last year) has been remembered as ‘one of the best humans on this planet’
But he fought back and, within 12 months, Evans was back on his bike, despite only having 20 per cent strength in his left arm.
Tributes have poured in following his tragic death earlier this year, with MXRP Motorcycle Performance issuing their condolences to his loved ones.
‘Our heartfelt sympathy goes out to Joel Evans, his family & close friends,’ it read.
‘If we talked about passion for the sport of Motocross in Australia, Joel was that guy, he brought the same passion & drive to go racing year after year.
‘You will be missed by many & forgotten by none, you’re flying high now mate.’
His sister, Renae Ferris, also published an emotional tribute online to her brother.
‘What do you say when you have no words? Yesterday our lives changed forever,’ she wrote.
‘I could never have imagined that it was going to be the day that my little brother took his final breath.
‘Joel was doing what he loved and was in one of the happiest eras in his life but that doesn’t make saying goodbye any easier.
‘He used to joke about not wanting to get old, now he never has to.
‘The best brother a girl could ask for and an even greater uncle for my girls.’
