Walker Hayes will resume his touring schedule this week, after taking some time off to mourn the loss of his infant daughter, Oakleigh Klover, but he will take with him one permanent reminder of her short life. The singer reveals a brand-new tattoo, with his baby girl’s name and footprint.
“Thank you @zanependergast_tattoo for this,” Hayes shared on Twitter. “It is perfect.”
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Hayes revealed on Wednesday, June 6, that he and his wife, Laney, lost their daughter shortly after birth.
“It is with great sadness that Laney and I share the news with you that our sweet Oakleigh Klover Hayes was born this morning at the hospital and is now safely in Heaven,” Hayes shared. “Thank you for honoring our privacy as we grieve.”
— Walker Hayes (@walkerhayes) June 7, 2018
The Alabama native just announced he would resume touring, with his first show on June 27, although his website has yet to list the location.
The “Craig” singer has been largely silent since the tragedy struck his family, but he did return to social media to wish his wife, Laney, a happy anniversary. He also announced the launch of his Be a Craig Fund, in honor of the family friend who gave the Hayes family a van when they couldn’t afford one, inspiring Hayes’ current single.
“In keeping with the sentiment of paying it forward, and through gifts to support nonprofits that empower others to make the path easier,” the website explains, “Walker wants to encourage individuals to seek out opportunities to help others.”
Hayes has no regrets for the hard times, when he worked at Costco and relied on the kindness of people like his friend Craig.
“It tested us to see how bad we wanted it,” Hayes tells PopCulture.com of those early years. “It tested our marriage, our faith. It sharpened us, I guess you could say. We just look at the world totally different, I guess, after our experience in Nashville. We have gone from content, financially OK, to scary, and financially not OK. We’ve learned to appreciate so little, which is great. Also, it’s changed my why I wake up every day. I wake up to be a better father, a better husband first and foremost. And be honest in my music.”
Updates to Hayes’ touring schedule will be posted at WalkerHayes.com as available.
Photo Credit: Walker Hayes / Instagram
