NFL reporter announces two-year-old daughter’s death after leukaemia battle

The NFL reporter and his family remember Hallie as ‘brave, strong and resilient’ throughout her battle

Hallie, who passed away on Sunday aged two, was described as a ‘special kid’ (Getty)

A New England Patriots beat reporter for the Boston Herald announced the death of his two-year-old daughter, who passed away after a nine-month battle with leukaemia on Sunday.

“Hallie died peacefully in her sleep on Sunday morning as Jen and I held her hands in bed,” Doug Kyed announced on Instagram on Monday.

“We’re completely lost and heartbroken without Hallie. Our lives will never be the same. Hallie was a special kid, and she made a positive impact on so many people she met. We were lucky to be her parents, and Olivia was fortunate to have the best baby sister.”

Mr Kyed continued in his post that they knew the “prognosis was poor” after Hallie relapsed following a bone marrow transplant.

He explained that chemotherapy after her transplant was ineffective, and the aggressive form of leukaemia had “grown out of control” by the time she was starting a trial treatment.

The whole family spent time at the hospital last week but were still holding out hope for remission, he said.

Hallie had been “brave, strong and resilient” throughout her nine-month battle with acute myeloid leukaemia, Mr Kyed wrote.

Hallie’s father, Doug Kyed, works as a Patriots beat reporter for the Boston Herald (Getty)

The Boston Herald reporter acknowledged that the doctors at the Boston Children’s Hospital did everything they could to help Hallie.

“The world is a worse place without Hallie in it,” he wrote in his post dedicated to his daughter.

“If you can take anything from Hallie today, it’s to know exactly what you want and to be persistent in asking for it, whether it’s going on a walk, ride in the car or wearing one particular Disney dress (usually Cruella),” he added.

Hallie’s mother, Jen Crosby-Kyed, also shared her own note on Instagram, detailing how she passed away peacefully snuggled next to her parents with “paint on her hands and sparkles in her hair from doing crafts”.

“I will never understand why or how something so horrible can happen. There is a giant hole in my heart and the pain is excruciating, but she was such a special little person, and I’m so grateful I had her in my life and got to love her and be her mom,” she wrote.

The family posted details for a wake in memory of Hallie in Massachusetts and said a private funeral for the family will be held separately.

“Wear whatever you’d like. Hallie loved pink and sparkles and wouldn’t care about black,” the post said.