The Block’s Dan and Dani Rielly announce huge new mission in daughter Billie’s honour

The Block’s Dan and Dani Rielly have revealed their amazing new mission in honour of daughter Billie, who died in December 2024.

Appearing on Today on Tuesday morning, Dani announced she plans to run the New York City Marathon in November to raise money for Billie’s Besties, a charity she and Dan founded in memory of their daughter.

They’ve already raised more than $195,000 in Billie’s honour and now want to raise a further $230,000 to fund new aEEG brain monitoring equipment for the NICU at The Royal Women’s Hospital, Melbourne, where Billie stayed for 10 days.

“We’ve got a lot on our plate, but to know that it’s for her makes it worth it,” Dani told Today.

“Dani’s very determined, and it’s all because of the time we spent with Billie in the NICU,” Dan said.

He gushed about how incredible the doctors, nurses and other NICU staff were in Billie’s 10 beautiful days on Earth.

“We got to take Billie out in the sunshine, Billie got to meet our two dogs,” he recalled.

Dani had originally planned to do the marathon in 2024 but fell pregnant with Billie, so put the plans on hold.

Now she plans to run more than 42km in her daughter’s memory.

Getting back into training less than six months after giving birth to son Fletcher has been tough, especially because of all the sleepless nights.

Dan and Dani welcomed baby Fletcher in April, a little more than one year after losing Billie.

“We’re surviving! Fletcher’s now five months old so we value sleep when we can get it,” Dan quipped.

He joked that raising Fletcher has been very different from his experience as site foreman on The Block, but he wouldn’t change it for the world.

“After Billie, we cherish every moment with this little man,” he said.

“Even the hard ones,” Dani chimed in.

Dani confessed that whenever she’s told she “can’t or shouldn’t” do something, it only makes her more determined to get it done, so the New York City Marathon better watch out.

Dan’s currently on paternity leave from The Block, with new forewoman Leonie stepping in for him officially on Monday night’s episode.

When they’re not waking up for night feeds or working onThe Block, Dan and Dani are doing all they can to keep Billie’s memory alive.

Dani remembered their daughter in a touching Instagram post days after they announced Fletcher’s arrival, writing that Billie would have been “the best big sister”.

“16 months since you transitioned from this life into the next, in my arms, and it feels particularly heavy today as I hold your brother in the same way against my chest,” the mum of two wrote.

“A feeling I’ll never be able to accurately explain – longing for one while celebrating the other. One only possible without the other.”

She and Dan have been very intentional about including Billie in their son’s life since he arrived five months ago.

The Red Nose Grief and Loss Support Line is available 24/7 for anyone affected by the loss of a pregnancy, stillbirth or death of a baby or child on 1300 308 307.