Mia and The Finley Project

We are trying to raise money for Mia's medical expenses and any extra for the Finley Project, an organization dedicated to the care of mothers who have lost an infant. Finley Project

Currently our bills are starting to come in and we don't know the exact amount but the estimated amount is staggering for us. Anything we take in extra will go to the Finley Project.

Here is Mia's Story:

Mia Michelle Grund was born July 15, 2023 at 12:55am a beautiful 7lbs 14oz. She was born with severe HIE (lack of oxygen to the brain). We don’t know for how long.

We spent a week in the NICU praying for a miracle for our Mia. The miracle God had on deck wasn’t for us. After undergoing therapeutic hypothermia to protect her brain from any further damage, an MRI confirmed our greatest fear. She had damage across the brain and on the stem. Miraculously everything else worked perfectly (heart, lungs, kidneys) but she had not showed any neurological progress.

We’ve never heard our daughter cry, or fuss, or hold us or seen a smile. There was a good chance she would never wake up and even if she did, best case scenario was severe neurological disorder. We didn’t want that for our daughter or our son for that matter.

Ultimately we made the impossible decision. We decided to say goodbye to our little beautiful creation. We inquired what organ donation looks like. To our surprise, this was not common place there. Our Legacy arrived on scene and after hours of waiting, it was confirmed there was a recipient who needed a heart, just her size. On Sunday, July 23 we removed Mia’s breathing apparatus and held her tight for what seemed like fifteen minutes and 12 hours at the same time, while she joined the Lord in Heaven.

We could be angry, and suffering grief unimaginable, but instead trusted the Lord there was a plan we didn’t see. Hours after she passed, it was confirmed her heart was viable and en route to another family praying for a miracle. That alone would be beautiful end. Instead, God decided to do something else miraculous. A few weeks later, we were notified that a “miracle” had occurred called a “domino.” Mia’s heart was transplanted and the recipient’s heart valves were used to save another child.

Mia saved two lives. She saved two families. Two children will stay on this earth because of her sacrifice. My daughter is my hero.

Sometimes when we pray for a miracle, it’s important to remember God hears us. The miracle sometimes isn’t for us.

Mia's bills as well as Aubrey's bills (she had to be hospitalized for severe blood loss and complications from the delivery.