Dale, as seen at his baby naming ceremony.
Dale Albert Ross (22nd February - 26th April 1993) was the son of Michael and Pippa Ross. He was a victim of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), one of the most memorable storylines of the 1993 season. The episode featuring Dale's death (Episode 1222) won the 1993 Australian Film Institute award for "Best Episode in a Television Drama Serial".
Biography[]
The first inklings that Pippa might be pregnant were in Episode 1046 when she told Michael she felt sick. When her stomach bug didn't clear up, she went to the doctor. Soon afterwards she told a stunned Michael that she was pregnant. Although the pregnancy hadn't been planned, the pair were overjoyed.
| Dale Ross | |
|---|---|
Character Profile
| |
| Birthday: | 22nd February 1993 - 26th April 1993 (age 2 month, SIDS) |
| Birthplace: | Northern District Hospital, Yabbie Creek |
| Father: | Michael Ross |
| Mother: | Pippa Ross |
| Siblings: | Haydn Ross (half) Kate Ross (half) Christopher Fletcher (half) Sally Fletcher (adoptive) |
| Spouse: | N/A |
| Children: | N/A |
| Occupation: | N/A |
| Played By: | Olivia Alfonzetti |
1993[]
In the latter stages of Pippa's pregnancy, she experienced complications and was told by her doctor to only leave her bed to go to the toilet or have a shower. Knowing what his wife was like, Michael promptly packed her off to her mother's house where he knew she wouldn't be allowed to even get out of bed. Pippa gave birth to Dale in Episode 1175. At his baby naming ceremony (Episode 1213), Bobby and Greg Marshall agreed to be his guardians.
Little Dale died suddenly in Episode 1222 in an episode which is still tough to watch. In the aftermath of his death, Pippa and Michael's marriage came under a lot of strain. Pippa in particular handled the loss really badly and didn't include Michael in her grieving. Things got so bad, Michael confided in Alf that he was worried for the future of their marriage. The pair had a heart to heart and got things back on track; sadder but in a better place.
Memorable info[]
Pippa's pregnancy was written into the show because "Pippa and Michael" were expecting a child in real life. Debra Lawrance and Dennis Coard married in February 1992 and towards the end of the year, had a baby girl. H&A's producers decided that their onscreen baby would die but to make things a bit easier for the actors, agreed that the baby would be a different gender to their real-life child. And so, Dale became a boy. Debra has since said that the cot death storyline was tough for her and Dennis. Their real-life daughter was only nine weeks old at the time it was filmed and they understandably had the same fears for their own child at the time.[1]
Pippa goes into labour
Amusingly, there were rumours that Debra had her real-life childbirth filmed by Channel 7 for use in Home and Away (talk about going the extra mile for your job lol). Some scenes with Pippa in the earlier stages of labour were filmed that's as far as as it went.
Family[]
Father Michael Ross
Mother Pippa Ross
Grandfathers Bert King
Grandmothers Coral King
Siblings Haydn Ross, Kate Ross, Sally Fletcher (adoptive), Christopher Fletcher
List of appearances[]
1993
- Ep 1186 (8 Mar 1993)
- Ep 1192 (16 Mar 1993)
- Ep 1198 (24 Mar 1993)
- Ep 1203 (31 Mar 1993)
- Ep 1208 (7 Apr 1993)
- Ep 1213 (14 Apr 1993)
- Ep 1216 (19 Apr 1993)
- Ep 1217 (20 Apr 1993)
- Ep 1218 (21 Apr 1993)
- Ep 1221 (26 Apr 1993)
- Ep 1222 (27 Apr 1993)