On May 16, 2026, On Angels’ Wings hosted its 6th Annual Spa Day for recipient mothers in the Springfield area, bringing together local businesses and service providers to offer a free day of pampering, relaxation, and emotional support for mothers who have experienced infant loss or are caring for medically fragile children.
The annual event was created to give mothers an opportunity to step away from the constant weight of caregiving and grief while being surrounded by compassion, understanding, and community.
“Our annual spa day is one of my favorite events each year,” said Michelle Cramer, founder and executive director of On Angels’ Wings. “These moms are either 24/7 caregivers for a medically fragile child, or in the event of child loss, tend to be the one holding their entire family’s grief. In either case, they often feel like it’s selfish to take care of themselves. So we created this event to show them that they deserve to decompress, relax, and have a few hours without the stress of their realities.”
The day began with a collective guided relaxation yoga session led by Sunni Nutt of Essential Yoga Studio to help attendees settle into a space where they could fully receive care and support.
Upon registering for the free event, recipient mothers selected the vendors and services they were most interested in experiencing throughout the day. Organizers guaranteed that each mother would receive at least two vendor experiences before additional openings were offered. Between appointments, attendees were encouraged to slow down and connect through foot spas, coloring activities, puzzles, refreshments, and conversation with one another. This year, nearly all 20 attendees were able to participate in four different experiences throughout the event.
Local vendors donated their time and talents to provide a wide variety of services, including:
- Guided relaxation yoga from Sunni Nutt of Essential Yoga Studio
- Speed life coaching from Eden Holt at The Connection Effect
- Flash tattoos from Chelsea Simpson of Triumph Tattoo
- Permanent bracelets from Daya Cardella of Till the End
- Nails from Lynae Mays with Red Aspen
- Hair tinsel from Rebecca Rupp
- Massages from Jenna Threadgill of Bodhi Tree Massage and Rachel Carter, licensed massage therapist at Ray of Light Healing Studio
Sweet treats for attendees were donated by Cheesecake Bliss and Sisterly Sweets.
Several participating vendors shared how meaningful the experience was for them as well.
“I was greatly impacted by the stories these moms shared with me,” said massage therapist Jenna Threadgill. “Working with each of them was so special and they all need massage so badly. Being able to help them fill their cups was a great reminder as to why I got into the work I did and just how powerful it can be. The resilience and sheer love that radiated from each mom was palpable. I admire each of them so much and would be honored to return next year.”
Rebecca Rupp, who provided hair tinsel, added, “Life’s hardest battles have shaped my heart for helping others heal, connect, and feel seen. Through advocacy, compassion, and community, I hope to remind people they are never alone in their journey.”
“I was truly captivated by all of the generosity of service providers and everything OAW set up as an opportunity for the recipients to feel all of the love they desperately need,” said life coach Eden Holt. “Being able to provide coaching services to the mommas that just need a minute to be seen and heard is truly what I love about what we do. In a world where everything is calling on these mommas for more time and more energy, pouring love and support back into them is vital and allows them to see the community of helpers and givers without any expectations in return.”
For recipient mothers, the event provided not only relaxation, but also an opportunity to connect with other women who understand the realities of grief, caregiving, and navigating life after profound loss.
“Mother’s Day was extremely hard for me this year,” said recipient Kaycie Haynes. “On Angels’ Wings provided me a place to build community with other mothers who get what I’m going through. The support they provide is invaluable.”
Recipient Darrah Chambers described the event as absolutely wonderful.
“It was extremely relaxing and the atmosphere was great,” Chambers said. “The fact that so many providers from all different professions donated their time and services to give us a day of pampering meant so much. And it was heartwarming to share my story, get some feedback, and realize that we are definitely not alone.”
Recipient Adisyn Gray added, “I loved the event. For my first event with OAW, I loved that nobody made me feel out of place. I was immediately accepted by everyone around me.”
“Community is one of OAW’s core values,” Cramer said. “We work to help these families build community. What they’re going through can be extremely lonely. At an event like this, we intentionally design it so the moms have downtime between stations where they get foot spas, color, do puzzles together, and it opens up opportunities they might not otherwise have to connect directly with someone that finally understands what they’re experiencing.”
Cramer said the event is intentionally designed not only as a moment of respite, but also as encouragement for mothers to continue prioritizing their own wellbeing long after the event ends.
“We provide things like a coaching experience to help them learn how to fit self-care into their lives regularly,” Cramer said. “We set them up to see the value in it and receive that love from our vendors, and then hope they will carry that forward to find moments of peace as often as possible in their daily lives.”
On Angels’ Wings provides free therapeutic photography and ongoing grief recovery support to families facing a terminal-risk diagnosis for their child or infant loss. Based in Springfield, the organization serves families across seven states through a network of more than 135 volunteer photographers and support volunteers. Learn more about qualifying for services.
