Alex ‘Chumpy’ Pullin: Pregnant widow wants first responders to tell spouses about posthumous sperm retrieval

The pregnant widow of Alex ‘Chumpy’ Pullin believes emergency service personnel should inform grieving spouses about posthumous sperm retrieval immediately after a death. WHAT SHE SAID >>>

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THE pregnant widow of Alex “Chumpy” Pullin says emergency service personnel should inform grieving spouses about the possibility of posthumous sperm retrieval immediately after a death.

Ellidy Pullin, 29, shared further insight into the time-sensitive race to harvest her partner’s semen in the wake of his tragic drowning last year, speaking on a recent episode of podcast alongside co-host Chloe Fisher.

It comes after Ms Pullin last month announced she was expecting the couple’s first child through IVF after posthumously collecting the champion snowboarder’s sperm. She sat down with 7News Gold Coast, alongside Mr Pullin’s parents, in the days following: “My main reason for going on the news is to spread awareness about sperm retrieval – so many people don’t know about it,” she explained to listeners.

Ellidy Vlug, widow of Alex `Chumpy' Pullin, took to Instagram to share news she was pregnant with their first child. Photo: Instagram

Mr Pullin, 32, passed away on July 8 last year after suffering a suspected shallow water blackout while free diving at Palm Beach.

“I’ve said this to a few people, I just think the police officers, the ambulance officers and stuff on the day (of the tragedy), I think it should have almost been something that they said to us that day,” Ms Pullin said.

“Your soulmate has died, I was there, a mess, they were asking me what did you guys do this morning? How was your relationship? Asking me questions like that.”

Ms Pullin’s comments come after it was revealed the time-sensitive race came down to “the very last minutes” as many of the heartbroken loved ones were unaware it was even an option.

“I was explaining to them how we had the most perfect life in the world, we were trying for a baby, nothing could have been better in our life,” Ms Pullin revealed.

“I think that they should have the knowledge to say ‘oh my god you were trying for a baby? Do you know that if you act really crucially in the next 24 hours, 36 hours, you can actually retrieve his sperm?’ I think that would have been really important knowledge.”

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Mourners embrace at a paddle out memorial in honour of Alex ‘Chumpy’ Pullin last July. Picture: Chris Hyde

When questioned on the matter, a Queensland Ambulance spokesman said the service was still considering the role of paramedics in this scenario: “For expected deaths, this will already have been considered. For unexpected deaths, the situation is extremely raw and it would not be appropriate for paramedics to get involved at that point. The Coronial services would be better placed.”

A Queensland Police spokesman was unable to comment on the matter but said it should be referred to Queensland Health. 

Mrs Fisher said the grieving loved ones who orchestrated the procedure, including Mr Pullin’s parents, were fortunate to have had acted quickly after a friend suggested the retrieval.

Queensland Legislation states sperm can be removed posthumously where a designated officer has no grounds to believe the deceased would object to the removal.

An IVF specialist must be involved to retrieve sperm from a deceased person within a clinically recommended time frame of 24-36 hours after death.

“I’m pretty sure Dr Davidson was (at the hospital) looking at his watch, waiting for that legal document to come through to be like ‘yep, you can do it’,” said Mrs Fisher, adding that she had called five IVF clinics in her desperate search to find a willing participant.

“It was about midday already; I think we had until about 6pm that night.

Ellidy Pullin told listeners the couple was actively trying for a baby at the time of ‘Chumpy’s’ tragic death. Picture: supplied

“It turns out because Chumpy’s parents were already (on the Coast) and everyone was on board with this, we were able to get an affidavit done and all this legal documentation written up so we didn’t actually have to get up in front of a court.

“The lawyer, he must have done a week’s worth of work in two hours or something.”

Ms Pullin, who only recently changed her last name from Vlug, said she believed her long-time love had a helping hand in the matter: “I feel like Chumpy was pulling some strings from up there making this all happen for sure.”

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Originally published as Alex ‘Chumpy’ Pullin: Pregnant widow wants first responders to tell spouses about posthumous sperm retrieval