Trigger warning: This article discusses pregnancy and infant loss.
If you watch The Block, you know Dan Reilly. He’s the man who walks around the site with his hard hat on and keeps all the teams in check — sometimes with a gentle nudge, sometimes with a stern word.
The foreman has been on the show for 14 years, and he’s openly spoken about the personal struggles he’s faced with his family during this time, with him and his wife Dani sadly losing their daughter Billie just 10 days after she was born.
Dan told WHO that the devastating experience left the couple feeling incredibly apprehensive during Dani’s second pregnancy, but the show played an important role in keeping him “distracted”.
‘There was angst around the pregnancy’
This week, viewers watched as Dan rushed off-site after Dani phoned him to say she was going into labour.
It was a special moment to be a part of — a moment that carried much more weight than met the eye.
Dan explained that filming the show, surrounded by so many familiar and supportive faces, was crucial for his well-being while battling nerves he had about Dani’s pregnancy.
“Obviously there was, not fears, but there was angst around the pregnancy and knowing what happened last time. You’re thinking about the day when it’s coming; you just obviously want everything to go well, so I feel like it was a good distraction,” he told WHO.
With the intensive renovations and jam-packed schedule, The Block provided a focus for Dan.
“The weeks flew by too. Obviously, when you’re on The Block, things go so quick, so it sort of helps speed the whole process up,” he said.
Foreman Dan adores being a father
Dan’s little one, Fletcher James Reilly, was born on April 10, and Dan and Dani are loving their baby bubble.
“It’s just the best thing ever. We don’t really know what we talked about before him,” he laughed. “Just our whole weekend is honestly just, you know, we don’t really bother going anywhere anymore.
“We do go and see friends, but not with him as much. We just like to be around him, and spend time with him on the weekends at the moment,” he said.
Both Dan’s and Dani’s social media is full of photos of the family together, with many of them spending time at home. However, they did recently take a trip up to Australia Zoo and took Fletcher to the McCafe on The Block site.
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