‘A Part of Me is Dead Forever’- Martina Navratilova’s Wife Details How She Helped Her After the Loss of Her First Son

Martina Navratilova is one of the strongest tennis entities. She has fought many odds to be where she is today. However, a part of the credit for keeping her will alive goes to her partner, Julia Lemigova. 

From facing the hatred of the people who didn’t approve of her sexuality, to dealing with the pain of losing a child, Lemigova went through a lot. Even so, just like the 18 times Grand Slam champion, she somehow managed to retain her grip over her life. Though her strength shouldn’t shadow her sorrow. 

Julia Lemigova about how sour her life turned post her son’s death

Earlier in an interview, the Real Housewives of Miami actress, spoke about how immensely her firstborn’s death affected her. She said, “I don’t know if I even completely survived the loss of my first son. A part of me is dead forever.”

Thereafter, the 50-year-old added, “At the times I simply didn’t want to live. Selfishly, I wanted to end my life so many times. I wanted to join my son.”

Read more: ‘A Gladiator-Like Competition…Other Than No One Dies’ – When Martina Navratilova Issued a Befitting Statement on the Hardships of Tennis

“In this horrible self, how could you keep living, have more children, redo your life? It’s very, very difficult, but I am a proof that yes you can. Martina helped me a lot.” In 1997, Lemigova became romantically involved with banker Édouard Stern and in 1999 became pregnant with Maximilien Stern.

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Stern was just five months old when he passed away from shaken baby syndrome while in his nanny’s care. Although Lemigova believed that his nanny was responsible for his death, no charges could be pressed against her as she fled before the filing of the case. 

Martina Navratilova and Lemigova’s story

The nine times Wimbledon champion first met the Miss USSR 1990 in a bar and took the chance and approached her and had a little chat. Following that, eight years later, they bumped into each other again during the French Open and took their relationship to the next stage. 

Thereafter, in the year 2014 at the US Open Navratilova proposed to Lemigova, and they tied the knot with a star-studded reception attended by entities such as Chris Evert and Andre Agassi’s ex-wife, Brooke Shields. Currently, they live in Miami and are raising Lemigova’s two daughters namely Victoria and Emma, together.