Hannah Sacks is a writer/reporter for the Parents team at PEOPLE. She has been working at PEOPLE since May 2023. Her work has previously appeared in The Toy Insider, The Toy Book, The Pop Insider, and Saratoga Living.
Hakeem Adeniji and his wife Kayla are pursuing surrogacy after experiencing an unimaginable loss.
On Tuesday, Dec. 3, the Cleveland Browns player, 26, shared a lengthy post on his Instagram Stories, asking for help as he announced that he and Kayla have decided to use a surrogate to grow their family. Adeniji announced earlier this fall that his son Semiu Zade Adeniji was stillborn after arriving six days before his due date.
"Never been someone to ask for help but here we are," Adeniji wrote in his post. "Kayla and I have decided to pursue surrogacy as we think it's probably the best way to feel somewhat normal as we don't know when she can get pregnant again."
"We never expect anything from anyone, but if you'd like to help just know that we appreciate it more than you can imagine. This entire journey has been taxing in so many ways, and assistance, even if it's just sharing the link, would be thanked and welcomed," he added, thanking his followers for their support.
Never miss a story -- sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
In early November, Adeniji shared a heartbreaking video on Instagram as he announced the stillbirth of his and his wife Kayla's first baby, son Semiu. In an Instagram Reel, the NFL star began to cry as he explained that six days before their baby boy's due date, the couple discovered through an ultrasound that there was no heartbeat.
"It was the worst moment of my life," Adeniji said. "Everybody that knows me knows how bad I wanted to be a dad."
On Nov. 11, Adeniji shared a carousel of pictures of the family of three from the moment they got to hold their son. In one of the photos, the NFL player held baby Semiu in the hospital room. He also included a lengthy message written in the football star's notes app.
"It's been a little over a week since we lost our boy. There's been, anger, sadness, and emptiness. The fact that he is gone has set in now and nothing can change that," he shared. "I'll never get to see him grow up, and he'll never get to read his journal I wrote for him. I miss him and l'll miss him everyday for the rest of my life."
He later wrote, "This will be hard, but that's life. Always has been and probably always will be. We appreciate all the prayers, support and well wishes from everyone it is much appreciated. I still want to be a dad more than anything else in this world, and he gave me that even though it was short lived. When and if I ever get that opportunity again I'll never take a day for granted. I love my boy and he will live through us."
Adeiji's wife Kayla posted additional hospital photos of the family on her own Instagram, sharing her emotional thoughts in her caption.
"We lost our son. We had to say goodbye to the most perfect, beautiful boy I've ever seen. We will never ever be the same and we will never forget him," she wrote. "He had a head full of curls and his daddy's nose. The softest cheeks and big hands. He will always be my son and I will always be his mom."
"He got us through so much this year and stayed so strong for us for so long. I will always remember holding him and smelling him. He was just perfect. Oh my sweet boy mommy and daddy will always smile when we think of you, I promise. Please look out for us my angel 🪽."
She added that her baby boy was born on Nov. 2, weighing 8 lbs, 4 oz and 21 inches, and that his due date was Nov. 7.