I'm Troy Sherven, and I'm organizing this fundraiser on behalf of our Son and Daughter-in-law John & Claire. Please take a moment to read their story and consider a donation on behalf of Lucy May.

Lucy May’s Legacy: Easing the Burden of Baby Loss

Our daughter, Lucy May, was born on March 16, 2025. She spent an incredible, beautiful hour in our arms—and even got to meet her big brother, Cole—before passing away peacefully.

In her honor, we’re starting the Lucy May Foundation to help Midwest families facing the heartbreak of stillbirth or newborn loss by easing the burden of medical bills—something we’ve experienced firsthand.

Your support will help us build a fund to assist other families who have medical bills for babies they won’t get to bring home.

Lucy May’s Story

On September 1, 2024, we learned we were expecting Lucy, our second child. The news was thrilling, and the timing felt perfect! We’d hoped to give our kids a two-year age gap, and this baby would be due just about a week after Cole’s birthday.

Just before Thanksgiving, our lives forever changed with a routine genetic screening around 18 weeks. While sitting together in the deer stand, we saw a missed call from the doctor and a “new test result” notification. That combination left a pit in our stomachs.

With the clinic now closed, we rushed to review the online results and learned our baby had an increased risk of a genetic condition called trisomy 18, or Edwards syndrome. Our Google searches painted a bleak picture. Most babies with Trisomy 18 miscarry before 20 weeks. Those who survive beyond 20 weeks have a heightened risk of stillbirth. Those that did make it to birth usually lived no more than a few days.

A Difficult Diagnosis

The day after Thanksgiving, we met with a genetic counselor and did a second, more advanced prenatal test through the St. Mary’s Hospital Maternal Fetal Medicine Center in Madison, WI. Waiting for those results was excruciating, but we prayed and held on to hope that the first test had been wrong.

Just over a week later, we got the call that confirmed the diagnosis. Our baby girl—our little Lucy—had a 99% chance of trisomy 18.

The following day, an ultrasound revealed several complications: cysts on her cerebellum, possible digestive tract issues, and most critically, a heart with only three chambers and multiple defects. We were devastated. We did, however, feel confident that our daughter was safe and happy inside the womb, and we were determined to carry her as long as we could.

Making Memories With Our Girl

We had a short “mom and dad getaway” to Chicago planned that week—our first trip alone since Cole was born. It ended up being a gift: a space for John and I to grieve together, start processing our new reality, and hold each other close. All while Cole could remain totally happy and unaware that big things were changing in our lives. This trip allowed us to process our initial feelings and begin to plan, as much as possible, in a situation with so many unknowns.

From that point on, we made it our mission to create as many memories with Lucy as we could. She didn’t seem to let her diagnosis phase her while we cherished every ultrasound, every milestone, and every moment she was with us.

In January, she surprised us—we began feeling her kick! Doctors warned she might be too small or weak, but she defied the odds. We fell asleep many nights with John’s hand on my stomach and Lucy May dancing in my belly.

In February, we traveled to Cocoa Beach, FL. It was there that we saw her kick for the first time. We’ll never forget that moment: my belly moving with the Atlantic Ocean in the background, surrounded by beauty and life. We even got one of our favorite family photos on that trip, taken by kind strangers—our family of four on the beach.

Lucy May’s Legacy

Lucy May arrived early, on March 16, 2025. She was breathtaking. She lived for a precious hour, long enough to be held, kissed, and loved. We’re so grateful for our time with her but can’t help but wish we’d been given more.

We are filled with love, longing, and heartbreak. As the songwriter Steven Wilson Jr. says, grief is “only love with no place to go.” We are pouring that love into Lucy May’s foundation so other families facing this pain don’t have to carry the financial burden alone.

While we’ve been blessed with love and support from those around us, we know that not everyone is so fortunate. If we can help take away one source of stress or worry from other families in this situation, we would be so honored. This is the legacy we would love to create for our beloved daughter.

How Your Gift Helps

Your donation will help:

We’re so grateful for your support—whether you donate, share this page, or keep us in your thoughts.

Thank you for helping us honor Lucy May with love and compassion.

With gratitude,

Claire, John, Cole, and Lucy May Draginis