Since October 2025, the Howell family (Alex, Robin, and Archie) have been excitedly expecting their grand finale—sweet baby boy, Arlo—to make his arrival this summer. They've already faced and made it through so much, even the unimaginable through the loss of Ashton. On behalf of my favorite people, I am initiating this GoFundMe in an effort to offset the emotional, physical, and obvious financial distress currently faced by the family as Robin was admitted for PPROM (preterm premature rupture of membranes) over the weekend. Robin will be in the hospital until delivery, Alex is out of PTO, and their family needs your help.

From Robin this morning:

Last week, things suddenly changed. I started experiencing intense pelvic pain and pressure that spread through my back, sides, groin, glutes, thighs, and even down to my knees. I went to the doctor on Friday, and they suspected an infection and sent me home with antibiotics.

The next morning, I woke up and realized I was continuously leaking fluid. After a trip to Labor & Delivery, we learned that my water had broken, I was already 2 cm dilated, and I was diagnosed with PPROM (preterm premature rupture of membranes).

As I write this, I am thankfully not in active labor, which is the best-case scenario right now. I am 28 weeks pregnant, and the goal is to keep baby boy Arlo safely tucked in for as long as possible.

The current plan is for me to remain admitted at AAMC for the next 7 weeks until we reach 34 weeks, when I will deliver Arlo via C-section. While we are so grateful that he is doing well and being closely monitored, this unexpected hospital stay brings emotional, physical, and financial challenges for our family.

Being away from home, from Archie, and from normal life is incredibly hard. We are preparing for a NICU stay, balancing work and family responsibilities, and navigating the many unknowns that come with a high-risk pregnancy and premature delivery.

The amount of love and support we have already received has been overwhelming in the best way. It has reminded us once again how truly incredible our village is. We know Ashton is with us every step of the way, and we are holding onto hope and the strength of the people around us.

Thank you for loving our family, supporting us, and helping us bring Arlo safely into this world.