A man has spent 100 hours creating a light-up memorial for his late girlfriend in his living room – with the full support of his new partner.

Dad-of-two Robin van Esch dedicated himself to creating a 3D-printed lampshade for partner of 17 years Heidi van Otterdijk after she passed away in April.

And Robin's new partner Maxine Irvine, has suggested Robin give it pride of place near the living room door so 'it's the last thing people see as they leave the house'.

While Maxine admits that this would bother some 'petty' new partners, she embraced the creation.

The dad's stunning lampshade to Heidi appears to be plain white until the light shines through it to reveal touching photos of the mum, who died aged just 37, and their eldest daughter Nikki van Esch, nine.

Data engineer Robin, 36, poured months of research and work into crafting the lithophane memorial which now lights up his family living room.

Mum-of-one Maxine, 27, from Comber, Northern Ireland, was a 'best friend and a 'shoulder to lean on' when he lost Heidi.

They met around 10 years ago on the online role-playing game World of Warcraft and she was supportive throughout Heidi's six-year battle with a rare heart defect.

When Heidi was particularly unwell and had to spend long stints in hospital, Maxine would even fly over to babysit Nikki and her younger sister Krissy van Esch, eight.

Maxine has supported Robin commemorating his ex as she knows Heidi 'made him the man he is' – and has even made him a Facebook page to show off his work.

Maxine, a full-time carer for her eight-year-old son Kodi, said: "When Robin first got a 3D printer I wondered if it would be a waste of money.

"For his birthday, just a week before Heidi died, she bought him a new and better version. I still thought it was a waste of money. Then he made this. It's beautiful.

"At first when Robin showed me the lampshade, all I saw was this plain white shape and I was thinking 'do I say I like it just to make him feel good?'.

"Then he turned the light on and I was like 'wow that's really pretty'. I wasn't expecting it at all. I think it's brilliant.

"Robin isn't on social media but I knew it needed to be posted. I knew people would send loads of praise and he needed to see that.

"He has it set up as part of a lovely memorial to Heidi in his living room.

"First Robin had it set up in one spot but I suggested he move it near the door so when everyone goes to leave the house it's the last thing they see.

"They were together for more than 17 years. It's not my place to come in and say 'why is that there?'.

"I'm completely aware of how petty some people can be but I can't understand why something like this would bother anyone.

"If your future partner took issue with anything like that then they shouldn't be your future partner.

"Robin and Heidi had a whole life together and he is proud to show me his past. She is the person who made him who he is and made their kids who they are."

After suffering a stroke in 2013, Heidi was diagnosed with a genetic heart defect.

The mum had to be rushed to hospital 80 times between 2015 and 2019 with a heart rate so elevated that doctors had to administer an electric shock to reset the rhythm.

Despite being placed on the heart transplant list, Heidi sadly passed away before she could have the life-saving surgery.

After nearly three months in hospital, Heidi had texted Robin in the early hours of April 22 to say she was feeling better and would be able to come home in two days.

Robin, of Vlierden, The Netherlands, replied to his partner 10 minutes later but Heidi never received his message as her heart had suddenly given out.

Doctors performed CPR for 50 minutes while a distraught Robin 'put his foot down' for the 100-mile drive to the hospital, telephoning Maxine for comfort on the heartbreaking journey.

Faced with rush hour traffic, it took Robin two and a half hours to get to Heidi and by then it was too late, leaving him riddled with guilt.

The dad then faced the devastating task of telling his little girls, who were visiting their grandad in England at the time, that their mum had died.

Robin said: "The doctors don't really know what happened. Heidi was doing really well, she had messaged me to say she could come home on Wednesday.

"Then suddenly she didn't feel well and pressed her button to call the doctors. Ten minutes later she was being rushed to the ICU and 20 minutes later they were performing CPR.

"They called me as she was being rushed into the emergency room. It's the worst phone call of my life.

"I dropped everything and put my foot down to get there. They tell you to drive carefully but in that situation you don't drive carefully.

"I ran into the hospital and about six or seven doctors came to meet me. Before they could say anything, I could already see it on their faces.

"The main doctor explained to me that Heidi's heart had suddenly started shutting down. He told me they performed CPR for 50 minutes because they didn't want to give up.

"I called my dad and told him. I asked him not to tell the girls anything yet but to bring them home.

"They got here the next morning and I'd been up all night thinking about how I was going to tell them.

"They knew their mum was very sick so it wasn't a shock but it was still so difficult. Nobody should ever have to tell their little girls that they have lost their mum.

"Every night I put them to bed and five minutes later Nikki will call me back to her and tell me 'papa, I miss mama'.

"Krissy doesn't cry very often but when she does, everyone cries."

After losing Heidi, Robin went into 'dad mode' and became completely focussed on making sure his daughter's were okay.

At first, Robin admits it even felt like a weight had been lifted without the constant stress and worry of Heidi being so unwell.

But when Nikki and Krissy went back to school, the loneliness and devastation of losing his first love properly sunk in and Robin broke down.

To add to the dad's anguish, his mum Dorothé Brandes had also died aged 70 just four weeks before Heidi's passing.

Determined to channel his grief, Robin set about creating a memorial corner for Heidi and came up with a plan to make a lampshade etched with her photos.

Inspired by lithophane maker Thomas Brooks, Robin spent hundreds of pounds modifying, reprogramming and writing new software for the 3D printer Heidi bought him in order to make his masterpiece.

One hundred hours of printing later and Robin has a stunning lampshade covered with pictures of Heidi and Nikki – and hopes to create a second featuring Krissy and her mum.

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