Graham

My nephew, a beautiful baby boy, was born on October 11th. I took the kids to visit his Mom and share our congratulations. Just as we arrived his Dad was accompanying him out to the helicopter pad to be life-flighted to a hospital with a NICU that had more equipment. Jeremy and I were able to meet the baby for the first time there, and all the smells, sights, and sounds brought back a flood of memories. The brothers gave the baby a blessing, and it was powerful. There were words of love expressed between a father and son, words of thankfulness and purpose, but I felt that twinge of worry when I didn’t hear the promise or blessing of healing I thought he would have.

The baby was life-flighted again to the nearest Children’s Hospital, and there were many hard days when his chances of hope kept slimming even after surgeries and ​treatments. I felt for my sister-in-law, and all I wanted to do was wrap her in my arms and tell her it was going to be okay. I saw her haul her bag full of breast pumping equipment as every faithful mother separated from her child does, and her face showed she was not giving up even though she was exhausted. But when she emerged from the hospital doors, she was visibly shaken and burst into tears. They had to make a decision about taking him off life support. His last night, we made dinner and gathered as a family before putting our kids to bed and heading to the hospital. We said our goodbyes to little Graham. His mother held him for the first time—before then, the wires and other equipment keeping him alive prevented him from being handled. A lovely volunteer photographer came to take some very sensitive last minute family photos. Their bishop came and said a few comforting words, and the family gathered around to give him a name and a blessing. Little Graham passed away on October 16th, at 5 days old. 

We have never dealt with a child in our family passing away, and everyone was stricken with grief. In our family we believe that we will see our loved ones again, and that families are forever. Little Graham in his short time here filled our lives with meaning as we prayed for miracles. Little Graham would be buried in the family cemetery in Idaho near his beloved grandfather. My sister’s wedding was the same day and time as the funeral, hours away in the opposite direction. I missed the funeral to support my sister while Jer and the kids attended, but I heard it was a beautiful memorial to pay our respects to this little angel. ​