Here is another chapter in the story of Alex and Laura. You can find other parts of their journey here:
On a beautiful Wednesday in September the unimaginable happened. Laura went for her scheduled ultra sound at the local Nipigon District Memorial hospital for her 17 week pregnancy exam the technician found no baby’s heartbeat.
Devastation is the only way to describe how Alex and Laura felt. Their children Angelina (11) and Justice (8) could not fully fathom the news… mom and dad were heartbroken. The baby’s February birth was just around the corner, what was going on?
The following day Alex took Laura and travelled the prolonged highway of over an hour’s drive from their home on Churchill Street to the Thunder Bay Regional Hospital where the infant was delivered at 3:00 o’clock the next day in the cold damp early morning. Shock, anger, despair, Laura had so many questions. Was it because she had over-exerted herself when moving to their new house? Was it something she ate or was exposed to? Why now when she had had three previous successful births? Why her? What could she have done to prevent this from happening? The doctor said that it was not her fault a message which her mother Karin softly reiterated.
They named the baby Jordan Rae, for either a girl or a boy. As the child was more than 20 weeks old they went back to Thunder Bay and retrieved their baby. A funeral home in Thunder Bay graciously took care of the sensitive cremation arrangements. They selected a beautiful small white ceramic angel urn and necklaces to bring Jordan home. Jordon was celebrated on Saturday, December 13th in Nipigon. The local Anglican Minister, Reverend Dianne, had a beautiful and truly moving private family service to accommodate their grief. Candles were lit to remember those whom we love and lost… with a pause to remember the dreams we had for them. Jordan will never be forgotten.
Both Alex and Laura now have identical tattoos with angel wings and the name of their child with the date 09-05-14 inscribed as a memory and tribute to what was and what could have been. Their loss is sad, so very sad, small and helpless, hopes-dreams-aspirations-love forever gone. The pain has been unbearable at times. They find it difficult to contemplate normal life in the near future. Both are naturally dispirited. As a supportive family we shall have to keep watch and pray, they are not alone, there is a future ahead.
Life does carry on. Alex will continue looking after the kids, as reluctantly Laura returns to work. She knows she has to.
Submitted by Gordon Mackenzie, DCO Steering Committee Member and Laura’s Father.