TRIBUTE TO A FRIEND: Former Taiwanese basketball star James Mao has named his newborn son after his good friend, model-actor Godfrey Gao, who was slated to be a groomsman at Mao's wedding to fashion stylist Tiffany Lo on Nov 29 last year.

Gao died at age 35 of sudden cardiac arrest two days before the wedding, collapsing during the filming of Chinese reality show Chase Me in Zhejiang, China.

In memory of Gao, Mao ran a short video on the actor and left Gao's seat at the wedding dinner vacant.

In April this year, Mao revealed that Lo was pregnant, and recounted the highs and lows he had experienced in the last six months - from preparing for the wedding to losing his good friend of 15 years.

On Wednesday, the 37-year-old announced on social media that Lo had given birth.

In the caption of a photo of him holding his baby son's hand, he wrote in English: "We are so excited and blessed to be able to share the birth of our son, Noah Godfrey Mao, on 10/4/2020."

Mao thanked Gao's parents for allowing him and Lo to use Gao's name as their son's middle name.

"It is the most meaningful and happiest thing for us," he added in Chinese.

His wife also posted on social media a photo of the baby's foot, with the caption: "Noah Godfrey Mao, we meet finally."