On Tuesday, April 22, I woke up with a sharp pain in my lower abdomen. My baby boy, Jay’Siah, had already been diagnosed with growth restriction, and I knew something was wrong. My husband called an ambulance, and I was rushed to Montefiore, then transferred to Bronx North Central. Jay’Siah was born on April 23, weighing 4 pounds and 8.6 ounces, but tragically, he passed away. Immediately after, I experienced severe complications and required 20 blood transfusions and multiple life-saving procedures. I spent two days under anesthesia, and three days with a tube and an open stomach fighting for my life.

This loss has been devastating for our family.We used our last savings, meant for a family car, to cover Jay’Siah’s cremation and now have to start over. Our two-bedroom apartment is home to six people, and moving to a better space feels out of reach right now. But I would love to continue to work towards that goal. These are the only pictures I have of my baby because I had to push him out then they put me under. Is hard for me to fathom ever having to do that again which is why I think God said that’s enough and you can’t have anymore. I’m hoping that by this time next year we will have reached our goal so we can get a small family van for our other two sets and start to do greater things for our family and others as well

I was raised in the foster care system and have never had the chance to build a strong support network. Asking for help is difficult, but today I am reaching out for any support—whether it’s a donation, a share, a kind word, or advice. Every bit of encouragement means the world to me and my family as we try to recover and move forward from this unimaginable loss. Thank you for taking the time to read our story and for any help you can offer.