NICU

Sarah and Michael showed incredible strength. We had been told they likely wouldn’t survive birth, yet they stayed with us for 30 precious hours. They fought with everything they had until they couldn’t fight anymore. They taught us how to love. They taught us what strength truly looks like. They gave us the resilience to…

Even though Elizabeth Rose isn’t physically with us, she still received her miracle of being healed. She taught me the importance of life and not giving up. Because if she had the strength to endure everything she was going through, so can I, no matter what life looks like.

Her BPD diagnosis felt incredibly overwhelming. Every day we watched her struggle, even with the level of support she was receiving. Her doctors explained that she would continue to struggle until her lungs grew and strengthened, and that simply took time. We were fearful that she would tire out from working so hard to breathe…

Doctors explained that CDK19 is a neurodevelopmental gene mutation, meaning it affects the brain and nervous system. They told me that eventually it would likely lead to grand mal seizures. They painted a picture of a future full of limitations—that she might never walk, never run, and never have the independence other children enjoy. But…

Cole is full of joy, love, and wonder. He truly takes in the world around him and approaches life with incredible grit. Every milestone he has achieved has required hard work, and he meets each challenge with joy. Everyone who meets him is drawn to his positive, fun, and silly personality.

Acknowledging what has happened is such a significant part of processing trauma. What OAW provides is a tangible way to acknowledge both the loss and the love. Giving families something real to hold onto—especially when everything else feels shattered—is something that cannot be replaced.

Being given the side-eye by Rachel was worn as a badge of honor in the NICU. Even nurses filling shifts from other areas had already heard about her. She seldom cried—even in the worst circumstances. Her smile could melt anyone’s heart. She loved being the center of attention, but only at her discretion. She will…

As the weeks went on, more symptoms began to appear. Serenity started having seizures that stopped her breathing every few minutes. That’s when I knew she was suffering, and we were faced with the hardest decision we’ve ever had to make. We never wanted this outcome, but we knew it was coming. And when the…

Three days later, Blakely passed away in my arms. As I held him, the doctors came in to share the news that Dericka had tested positive for Trisomy 18. Until that moment, we had hoped the Trisomy 18 diagnosis belonged to Blakely. But in another rare twist, it turned out each of our twins had…

OAW has been instrumental in keeping Genesis Makenna’s memory alive, giving me a place to heal and a way to give back to families like mine. Being directly involved in this work — the same work that meant so much to me during my darkest moments — has brought healing and meaning I never expected.