Our Story:

At our four-month ultrasound on January 4th we found out that our baby is a boy! We’ve named him Gabriel Amos which means “with the strength of God he carries a burden”. Gabriel’s burden is that he has Trisomy 18. This is a rare chromosome defect that is not compatible with life. Some babies can live with Trisomy 18 for a short time, but only with severe mental and physical disabilities. Gabriel has a severe case, with multiple lethal conditions visible by ultrasound. The doctors have told us that there is no chance for us to see him alive (outside of the womb).
Although, early inducement has been encouraged by the medical staff, chosen by the vast majority of families in our situation and allowed at Sacred Heart (a Catholic Hospital), we’ve chosen to carry our baby as long as God will allow.
Why? In this short time, we’ve grown to love him and cannot end his life. We know God would not find fault in this decision. We think of the message that we are sending to Maylee, to the college members that we coach and to Gabriel when we see him again in Heaven.
What can you do? While you cannot take away our pain or our loss and you may be afraid of intruding, saying the wrong thing, or making us feel even worse, know that you can provide much-needed comfort and support.
I’ve chosen some ways you can do that (Source: American Cancer Society)
• Acknowledge the situation.
• Express your concern.
• Be genuine in your communication and don't hide your feelings.
• Ask how we feel and don't assume you know how we feel on any given day.
We’ve been so blessed with a marriage closer now than ever before, a beautiful, healthy daughter, a strong faith, an amazingly supportive family and a close network of friends. Thank you for your friendship and for your support during this difficult time.



In the video, you can see Gabriel's heart is on the wrong side of his chest.