Baby Huxley by NILMDTS Affiliated Photographer Sammi Young

Huxley was our beautiful baby girl. She was deeply loved from the very beginning. Her life was heartbreakingly short, and the day she left this world became the darkest day we have ever known. The silence where her cries should have been and the empty space in our arms created a pain that is impossible to fully describe.

In the middle of that crushing grief, we leaned into prayer. In the stillness of the hospital room, we cried out to God. The pain did not disappear, but we felt His presence sustain us. His strength carried us through the longest night of our lives and reminded us that we were not walking this road alone.

A Traumatic Labor and a Miracle We Will Never Forget

We were in active labor at the hospital for about 12 hours when everything suddenly changed. Tehillah experienced a full uterine abruption followed by a placental abruption. The medical team did everything they could to save our little Huxley, but despite their efforts, she could not be saved.

Tehillah’s life was also in danger. Our OBGYN later told us he witnessed what he believed was a miracle. When he began the procedure, he saw a very aggressive internal bleed shrink before his eyes. Tehillah still required two units of blood, but she survived. We are forever grateful she made it through.

Later that evening, as we were trying to process the loss of our daughter, we were told that a professional photographer would be coming to the hospital. Through Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep, a volunteer remembrance photographer arrived to take professional photographs of Huxley, in addition to the compassionate care the nurses were already providing.

Our time with Huxley was very limited. Midwest Transplant was on the way, and we only had a few precious hours with our baby girl. Those hours felt like minutes. Because of NILMDTS, we now have beautiful professional photos that allow us to see her, remember her tiny features, and honor her life. We were given a small photo shoot of our daughter that we can look back on forever.

Why Remembrance Photography Matters

Since starting our nonprofit, Huxley’s Halo of Hope, we have heard countless statements from grieving mothers:

“I cannot remember how big or small they were.”
“I cannot remember how tiny their hands and feet were.”

Those words break our hearts every time.

Trauma and grief can blur memories. Without professional remembrance photography after stillbirth or infant loss, those precious details can fade. Organizations like Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep provide free remembrance photography so families have something tangible to hold onto when their time is painfully short.

NILMDTS and Huxley’s Halo of Hope have become staples in these sacred hours. The photographs and memory items help preserve moments that are gone in the blink of an eye but cherished for a lifetime.

No mother should have to live with the fear of forgetting her baby’s face. No parent should feel alone in their grief or question whether they are honoring their child enough. These services are not extras. They are essential. They remind families that their baby mattered, their story matters, and they are deeply loved.

Through every gift basket we deliver and every family we reach, Huxley’s legacy continues. Her life, though short, is still changing lives. What began as our greatest heartbreak has become a mission to bring hope, healing, and remembrance to other families walking this same path.

Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep, a dedicated 501(c)(3) non-profit, offers families experiencing pregnancy and infant loss with complimentary remembrance portraits, capturing precious moments with their babies. Your generous donation can help us extend this heartfelt service to more families in need. Please consider supporting us here.