For nearly two years, we’ve carried this story quietly. In October 2024, we lost our son, Elijah, at 32 weeks following a catastrophic uterine rupture that nearly claimed Javonna’s life as well. What should have been one of the happiest days of our lives became the most heartbreaking. In the midst of unimaginable grief, we were given the gift of meeting our son. We were able to hold him, tell him how much we loved him, and spend precious moments together as a family. Elijah was beautiful.

For a long time, we weren’t ready to share this story publicly. Grief has its own timeline, and it took us nearly two years to find the strength to tell it. During that time, we focused on healing, leaning on our faith, supporting one another, and learning how to carry the loss of Elijah while continuing to move forward. While nothing can replace our son, he will always be a part of our family and our future.

As we began discussing the possibility of growing our family, we were faced with another difficult reality. Because of the medical circumstances surrounding Elijah’s loss, carrying another pregnancy presents significant risks. After much prayer, reflection, and consultation with medical professionals, we have determined that surrogacy is the safest path forward. For the first time in a long time, we are allowing ourselves to dream again. Surrogacy offers us hope—a chance to continue our journey toward parenthood while honoring Elijah’s memory every step of the way. Unfortunately, it also comes with significant financial costs. Creating this fundraiser was not an easy decision. We are much more comfortable helping others than asking for help ourselves. But so many people have asked how they can support us, and we’ve realized that allowing others to walk alongside us is its own act of courage. Every donation, share, message, and prayer helps us move one step closer to growing our family. More importantly, it reminds us that we aren’t alone.

The Greenlees