Portage Infant Memorial Garden

Hi my name is Angie Steinke and I am reaching out to our community for a heartfelt project. We are raising funds to create a peaceful Infant Memorial Garden located at beautiful Island Park in Portage La Prairie. A sacred place where families can honour and remember the little lives that left us too soon. Losing a child, no matter how young, is an indescribable grief. Many families feel there are few places to go to grieve, reflect, and celebrate, the brief but beautiful lives of their little ones.

We envision a serene welcoming place that speaks to the deep love and enduring bonds between parents and their babies. Memorial benches, gentle lighting, and engrave plaques-a place where parents, siblings, and loved ones can come for comfort and connection. It will be open to everyone, providing a quiet space for remembrance, hope, and healing.

WHY IT MATTERS:

Grief is a lifelong journey, and having a physical place to visit can provide profound comfort. Whether for private reflection or community support, the Infant Memorial Garden will be a beacon of hope and remembrance for families today and generations to come.

I would like to share with you how this dream for the Infant Memorial Garden came to be. Our own personal story of the unexpected tragic loss of our grandson Wells Robert Blatchford. Spoken from our daughter Taylors heart on the loss of her baby boy.

September 19th, 2021. 782 days after my husband and I decided to start a family, I found out I was expecting. 1 miscarriage and multiple fertility treatments later, our son was finally on his way.

My name is Taylor and I am Wells Blatchford’s Mom. The cutest little guy I ever got to lay my eyes on. A life was before me that I would get to lay the foundation for and have the privilege to raise and call my son. That was until March 1st, 2022. I had a post Covid ultrasound booked for the 3rd, but miscommunication had the hospital calling saying I was supposed to go in that day. My Mom was in town and we headed in for what was supposed to be a joyful moment of seeing the little guy we waited so long for. But that’s not what happened. The maternal fetal medicine doctor walked in and the conversation quickly shifted from clothes and family to discussions about my son’s heart. I wish I had enough time to tell you every detail of our story, but I don’t. So skipping through many details, days, appointments, hospitals, scans, we were flown to Toronto, where my son was offered a chance at a life saving surgery. A survival rate of 70%. But on March 8th, 2022 my son fell into the 30% and unfortunately his heart stopped beating right before our eyes. The doctor declared no signs of life, and within moments, the room emptied, leaving just the three of us.

The first person I called was my Mom, Angie Steinke. I had to tell her he was gone and then somehow figure out how to tell the rest of the world too.

Grief, sadness, anger, worry, more grief, more anger, more sadness. This was my life now. My Mom was my rock through it all.

Mom shares a story of a time when I told her my greatest fear: that, as time went on, people might forget that my son Wells ever existed. In that moment, the idea of creating an Infant Loss Memorial Garden for our community was born. Not just for me or for Wells, but for all the families — mothers, fathers, grandmas, grandpas, siblings — who have lost a baby.

If you look around, I’m sure each of you knows someone who has experienced the heartache of third-trimester loss, stillbirth, or infant loss. This garden is for you. This is for Wells. This is for your baby — your baby who should be here.

HOW YOU CAN HELP:

Please consider making a donation, no matter the size. Every contribution brings us closer to making this dream a reality. Sharing this page with friends, family, and community is also a powerful way to help.

Together we can create a lasting tribute to the tiny lives who touched this world so deeply.

WHAT FUNDS WILL COVER:

• Landscaping stones

• Memorial Stone, and pedestal

• Benches for seating area

• Hedges to create a border for sanctuary

• Lightning

• Maintenance and upkeep of the garden

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for considering a donation to this special project. Together, we can create a garden that stands as a symbol of everlasting love and remembrance for all the little angels who are forever in our hearts.

Forever our little one,

Angie Steinke