Actress becomes 'grandmother-mother' after using late son's sperm for surrogacy

A Spanish actress who used her late son's frozen sperm to welcome a child through surrogacy has spoken about her experience as a "grandmother-mother". In March 2023, 71-year-old Ana Obregón welcomed baby Anita Sandra, with the television star saying the arrival brought "light" and "smiles" to her "dark world " and "personal hell". The birth of Anita enabled her to fulfil her beloved son's final wish. Tragically, Aless Lequio passed away in 2020 aged just 27, after being diagnosed with the rare bone cancer Ewing's sarcoma. Ana disclosed that just one week before his death, Aless - who had frozen his sperm following his diagnosis - heartbreakingly told his father, Alessandro Lequio, that he wanted to have a child . Ana eventually made Aless' dream a reality by travelling to America to seek an egg donor and surrogate - an option unavailable at home, where Spain outlawed surrogacy in 2006. She told Hola! in 2023: "Aless Lequio loved babies and would go crazy every time he saw one. He told me: 'I am going to call my first daughter Ana, like you, mommy'." Ana, who featured in the American television series The A-Team and Who's the Boss?, reportedly hasn't dismissed having more children through this approach and revealed that Aless had hoped for five children altogether. Ana has now talked about her relationship with Anita and how she navigates motherhood in her 70s. In an Instagram post marking Anita's birthday, she described how she had been "reborn". She penned: "Today marks three years since I was reborn when I hugged you for the first time. Because in doing so, I also hugged a little piece of your dad. "You have filled my dark world and my personal hell with light, smiles, mischief, hugs, diapers, pacifiers and toys all over the house. You are good, smart, sensitive and you have the same sense of humour as your father." Ana continued: "I will tell you about your dad's courage and the life lesson he taught us all. I will tell you how much he dreamed of hugging you, taking care of you and loving you, even though now he does it from heaven." She proceeded to "pray to God" for Anita's health and that she remained happy for "many more years". Touchingly, Ana noted that the three of them were "always together". In a separate post to coincide with the Spanish Mother's Day, Ana touched upon her son's death. She also delivered a message to other mothers dealing with the death of a child, saying love is the "greatest force that exists". She expressed: "My heart goes out to all the moms who have their angels in heaven. Those who swallow tears with a smile to survive. "I need to tell you that love is the greatest force that exists, that we should try to feel their love from wherever they are. I need to tell you we're going to be her mothers forever."