Helping Bethany and Simon After Tragic Loss

On January 25th, my dear friend Bethany was 34 weeks pregnant when she noticed her baby boy wasn’t moving as much. She and her husband, Simon, went to the hospital, where they were met with the unimaginable—their son’s heart had stopped beating. A couple of days later, Bethany delivered their perfect baby boy, and they held him, loved him, and said their heartbreaking goodbyes.

Today, on what would have been their son’s due date, I want to honor his life by helping lift the weight of the medical bills and financial burdens that have followed this devastating loss. Bethany and Simon are navigating the unthinkable—postpartum without their baby in their arms, the depths of grief, and the overwhelming reality of what comes next.

Their two-year-old son, Lincoln, doesn’t understand why his baby brother isn’t coming home. Every day, he asks when he will get to hold him. As they grieve, Bethany and Simon are also navigating how to explain the unexplainable to their sweet little boy.

No one ever plans for this kind of tragedy, and on top of their heartbreak, they are now facing medical expenses, loss of work, funeral costs, and the need for ongoing therapy as they process this immense loss. If you feel moved to support them, any amount would be a gift in lightening their load as they take the time they need to heal.

Bethany is like a little sister to me—I have walked alongside them every step of this journey, FaceTiming from the hospital room, grieving with them daily, and I'm deeply concerned for their wellbeing. We have been friends for over 15 years, my husband even had the honor of officiating their wedding nearly 9 years ago, and they are two of the most loving, tender hearted people. Right now, they need their village to surround them, community is truly the only way to survive a loss of this magnitude.

If you are unable to give, please hold them in your hearts and prayers as they navigate this impossible season. Thank you for your love and support—it means more than words can say.

With love,

Jess