'I knew how big his desire to have children was': Sylvie van der Vaart suggests ex Rafael left her after chemotherapy stopped them from having a second baby
A life threatening illness can often be the trigger for reassessing life’s priorities.
When Dutch model Sylvie Van der Vaart discovered she had breast cancer, she underwent the necessary treatment to rid her body of the toxic tumour, while accepting the risk it may affect her fertility.
Already a mother to her seven-year-old son Damien with ex-husband Rafael Van der Vaart, Sylvie suggested to German newspaper Bild that the Hamburger SV footballer left her after she learned it was unlikely she would be able to give him a second child.
Claims: Sylvie van der Vaart has alleged that the reason her ex-husband Rafael left her was because chemotherapy meant she was unable to have a second child
Referring to news that Rafael is now expecting a baby with girlfriend Sabia Boulahrouz, Sylvie told German newspaper Bild: 'Rafael got a different wife back afterwards when the chemotherapy was finished with. I wasn't any more a person without a care in the world, and the same innocent girl I was before.
'I knew for years how big his desire was to have children. I guess it's good that Rafael is now getting the child that I couldn't give him thanks to my cancer diagnosis.'
The 35-year-old Dutch supermodel acknowledged that the breakdown of their marriage was destroyed by a few contributing issues, including cancer and the geography of work commitments.
She said: 'My relationship with Rafael was destroyed by a number of factors. It was something that happened slowly over a period of time and it wasn't anything that it was possible to stop.'
Happy news: Rafael and girlfriend Sabia Boulahrouz revealed they are expecting a baby together last month
Moving on: The stunning model says she will in time be back on speaking terms with Rafael and Sabia
Sylvie's split from footballer Rafael has been surrounded by controversy as he later confessed to hitting her at a New Year’s party in January 2013.
Rafael said at the time: 'It was very foolish of me. I’m an idiot. I’m very sorry. It should never have happened.'
Sylvie married the international footballer in 2005, but to add insult to injury it was confirmed only four months after the split he had started dating Sabia - Sylvie's former best friend and the ex-wife of his Hamburg team mate Khalid Boulahrouz.
The couple announced they were expecting a child together in October.
And Sylvie added that she believes the group will be able to get past their differences and return to civil terms at some point in the future
She said: 'I imagine when all the emotions die down that Rafael, Sabia and me will probably be able to get along perfectly normally.
'At the end of the day the children are a link between us. And the child that is to come will be the brother or sister to Damian.
'I have a lot of respect for their relationship and that Rafael and Sabia are together. And I wish them all the best for the future.'
The Mail Online got in touch with Rafael's representatives who declined to comment on Rafael's home life.
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