Gladiators icon Steel, and his wife Samantha, have heartbreakingly announced the loss of their baby son Leo, who was named ‘Leo the lion’ due to his extraordinary bravery in his fight for life after being born prematurely at 23 weeks.
Samantha and Steel – whose real name is Zack George – have been keeping their followers updated on Leo’s condition, but today they conveyed the devastating news that their little fighter had passed away, lauding his incredible strength in such a brief life. Taking to social media today, Zack and Samantha expressed: “Your mummy brought you into this world and your daddy held you as you left. Leo…… you showed us what the true definition of strength is and we are so proud of you.
“You brought so much positivity to the world with the short time you were with us and we felt that positivity in abundance, we thank you all so much for that. Although you were only with us for a short time, you brought us a lifetime of love.”
They also shared: “Thank you for letting us know that YOU had had enough of this fight. We will forever be grateful that we didn’t have to make that decision for you. Leo our lion, we love you more than you will ever know. Rest easy our little boy”, reports the Mirror.
Last week, baby Leo made his early arrival into the world, weighing a tiny two pounds. At the time, Zack shared an emotional update, writing: “Our Precious Boy Leo George [heart emoji]. You should still be tucked up inside mummy’s tummy but instead you entered the world on the 26th March 2025 at just 23 weeks weighing 1 pound 8 ounces.
“You never truly know how quickly your life can be turned upside down but one thing we do know is that you are one hell of a strong boy and you are already defying the odds.”
In a recent heartfelt post, Zack wrote: “Tiny, fragile and fighting,” as he praised his son’s incredible strength in his ongoing battle. Following Zack and Samantha’s tragic new update, friends and fans have reached out to show their support and love.
“Sending all the love, stay strong guys,” one wrote, whilst another added: “Can’t imagine your heartache, wishing you and your family nothing but love and peace throughout this time! Leo the legend.” A third commented: “Sending all our love your way! I’m so sorry.”
