Help Lay Baby Mia Sue to Rest

With two loving but rambunctious toddler boys at home in Stansbury Park, Utah, my sister-in-law Jani Grover Mangelson was hoping the next baby would be a girl when she found out she was pregnant. But the news of the hoped-for princess came with other news: the baby, named Mia Sue, has trisomy 18, or Edward's Syndrome.

For the last few months, Jani and her husband, Jesse Mangelson, have endured the ups and downs of the unknown while they've felt Mia grow. Jani says Mia has been a very active baby--even more active than her two older brothers, 4-year-old Jude and 2-year-old Benjamin, were!

Yesterday, however, the final determination was made: The chromosomal disorder has affected too many of Mia's organs, and she will not be long in this world. Labor will be induced next week in the hope that Mia will survive the birth so her family can meet her--and say goodbye.

While our prayers for the Mangleson family and Mia Sue have changed, our love for them has not. They are trying to keep funerary expenses low, but we hope to raise enough money to cover Mia's funeral and burial--to relieve the financial burden so Jani and Jesse can focus on more important things, like savoring this time with Mia, and supporting one another in their grief.

Mia will likely be born and pass on September 10, 2021, which is when we hope to have funds for a small ceremony for close family to be held the following week and Mia Sue's burial. We all feel a special connection to Mia, and know she is a precious spirit. Thank you for your love and prayers, and for your support in ensuring this little angel is properly laid to rest.