"It was a very horrific time": Candice Warner on miscarrying during the ball tampering saga.

It’s been 18 months since we watched Candice Warner crying as her husband, David Warner, addressed the media for the first time after the infamous ball tampering saga.

With soaked tissues in her hand and the arm of friend and manager Roxy Jacenko around her, it was near impossible not to feel for the former iron woman and then-mum-of-two.

You can watch David Warner’s press conference from March, 2018 below. Post continues after video.

The fallout from Cricket Australia’s worst ever scandal – involving former captain Steve Smith, bowler Cameron Bancroft, David Warner and a piece of sandpaper – was particularly brutal for Candice. Amid the entire country calling her husband a traitorous disgrace and carrying her crying toddlers through airport terminals, screaming reporters and lights flashing in their faces, she also miscarried.

Speaking exclusively to Stellar on Sunday, the 34-year-old said it was a “horrific time”. Candice also shared for the first time they also lost a second pregnancy in June, 2018, three months after the March miscarriage.

“Looking back, it was a very horrific time… we had two miscarriages in that time. It definitely took a toll on my body. It was heartbreaking. I thought, ‘What more can be taken from me?'” she told the publication.

 

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LOVE ???? @davidwarner31

A post shared by Mrs Candice Warner (@candywarner1) on Oct 8, 2019 at 2:11pm PDT

Candice previously told The Australian Women’s Weekly in May, 2018, the couple’s first miscarriage, which happened one week after Warner’s public apology, was “a heartbreaking end to a horror [cricket] tour.”

“I called Dave to the bathroom and told him I was bleeding. We knew I was miscarrying. We held one another and cried. I don’t think either of us realised how much we longed for this baby,” she said.

“It rocked my very foundation and I paid the ultimate price, losing our baby.”

Despite living through what Candice describes as one of the darkest periods of her family’s life, the Warners welcomed their third child Isla Rose four months ago. Candice gave birth in London’s St Mary’s Hospital Lindo Wing, but her 12-hour induced labour wasn’t without complications.

 

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Welcome to the world our gorgeous Isla Rose Warner. Born June 30th at 10:30pm. Our little family is now complete. Ivy and Indi are so proud of their sister. @davidwarner31 Your support was and is amazing. Isla we love you. #blessed.

A post shared by Mrs Candice Warner (@candywarner1) on Jul 1, 2019 at 2:23am PDT

“Everything was going to clockwork – until I knew something was very wrong. She didn’t like the drugs they needed to give me to bring on the contractions – it was terrifying,” Candice told Woman’s Day in July.

Isla is now a happy and healthy younger sister to the couple’s other two children, five-year-old Ivy Mae and three-year-old Indi Rae.

Now “life is good” on the other side, with David having returned to cricket after waiting out his one-year ban from playing for Australia, Candice told Stellar how they got through the ordeal that saw “a lot of friendships disappear”.

“We didn’t know who we could trust, who we could turn to. A lot of doors shut. People who you thought were friends weren’t there when you needed them in those hard times.”

“It’s never ‘poor me’ or ‘poor us’. The only way we were going to move forward as a family is to go ‘Rightio, this is where we want to be in 12 months’ time and this is how we are going to get there, and this is what we will stand for.’”

 

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Happy Birthday to the most incredible man. @davidwarner31 you are the most amazing husband and best daddy the girls and I could ever ask for. Your dedication to our family and the love you have for us girls is truely second to none. We are so lucky and so thankful for you and all you do. Have a great day, happy Birthday we love you always and forever. X

A post shared by Mrs Candice Warner (@candywarner1) on Oct 26, 2019 at 5:27pm PDT

Although there were days David struggled to get out of bed, the couple saw the positives of his cricket ban – getting to spend more time with his daughters. If anything, Candice said that time taught them there is more to life than cricket.

“David and I now look at each other and say, ‘How did we get through that?’ But we did. We got through it.”

“If cricket was to end tomorrow, we know how family life would look for us. We are very content with what we have. We are in love and very much in love as a family.”

You can read Candice Warner’s full interview with Stellar magazine here.

If this story has raised issues for you, you can contact SANDS to access 24-hour pregnancy and infant loss support 1300 072 637.