There is something beautiful about being understood by someone who has walked a similar road.

For grieving mothers, loss can often feel isolating. The world continues moving forward while your own heart quietly carries the weight of someone deeply loved and deeply missed. But one of the most healing gifts God can provide in grief is community — people who understand, remember, and sit beside you in the pain.

At Bridget’s Cradles, that is one of the greatest hopes behind everything we do. Beyond the handmade cradles and tangible resources we provide, we long to help grieving families find connection, friendship, and Christ-centered hope in the midst of loss.

This past Sunday at our Bereaved Mother’s Day event, that hope was beautifully reflected through the friendship of two mothers: Emily and Kelci.

After connecting online and realizing they had both been in the NICU at the very same time, the two women eventually met in person at Bridget’s Cradles, each driving over two hours to attend. What began as a shared experience of heartbreak became a special friendship rooted in understanding, compassion, and remembrance.

But before friendship wove their stories together, both Emily and Kelci experienced unimaginable personal loss of their own.

Emily’s Story

“Cash James was born on August 18th and went to Heaven on August 28th after 10 days of being loved.”

Emily’s journey to motherhood has been marked by years of infertility and enduring hope. After beginning their journey in 2020, she and her husband walked through countless appointments, procedures, and setbacks as they longed for a baby of their own. Along the way, they also experienced a miscarriage early on, adding another layer of grief to an already difficult road.

After much waiting and persevering, they became pregnant again with the baby who would become their sweet son, Cash. “Our loss is profound, and we are learning to navigate it daily in different ways.”

Although Cash’s story did not unfold the way they had hoped and prayed, Emily treasures the love she carries for her son and the journey that led to him.

“In his short days with us, Cash knew nothing but our love. Our lives are moving on, but we will never let anyone forget our boy’s name. He is the most important and special thing to ever happen to us and we are forever grateful for his love.”

Kelci’s Story

During her pregnancy with twin boys, Kelci walked through the heartbreak of losing one of her sons. She faced the complex reality of mourning one baby while continuing to care for and celebrate another. It was during this season that an unexpected message from another grieving mother, Emily, would begin a new friendship.

In her own words, Kelcey shared, “Emily messaged me randomly one night on Facebook after seeing my family’s “Going Home” post on Facebook when we left the Ronald McDonald House in Wichita after our surviving son’s (Hewett)  extended NICU stay. She messaged me at the perfect time as I was struggling with my grief with the upcoming holidays, navigating life post NICU, and the deep grief of losing Hudson.

I remember I stayed up way too late (especially with a newborn) messaging her that night. We quickly realized how similar our stories were, from having the same OBGYN, due dates close together, different yet similar traumatic delivery experiences, and then losing our sweet baby boys in the NICU only days apart. However, I believe our story started even before she messaged me on Facebook.

During our first few days in the NICU my husband and I clearly remember seeing Emily and her husband in the NICU visiting Cash, just a few beds down from our son Hudson. I still vividly remember the day Cash passed away. At the time we obviously did not really know what was going on, but in the NICU you can tell when something like that is happening, and it broke our hearts when we realized that Cash had passed away. We actually talked about Cash and their family many times after, not knowing only six days later we would also lose our Hudson.

Even though it was months later when we officially connected, there was always a “string” connecting us. I think all along God had a plan putting our boys so close to each other in the NICU. I like to think that if both our boys were here today we likely would have become friends through our long NICU stays that would have followed. I think God was working all along and knew we would need each other.”

Bereaved Mother’s Day at Bridget’s Cradles | May 3, 2026

Mother’s Day can be incredibly tender for grieving mothers. While the world celebrates motherhood loudly, many women quietly carry the ache of babies who should be here.

But on May 3, grieving moms gathered at Bridget’s Cradles for a day filled with remembrance, compassion, tears, laughter, and shared understanding. Stories were spoken aloud, babies’ names were honored, and friendships were strengthened in special ways.

One especially beautiful connection was between Emily and Kelci, two moms who each drove more than two hours to attend the event. Their willingness to make that journey speaks to how deeply grieving mothers long for community, understanding, and a safe place to remember their babies.

Kelci first learned about Bridget’s Cradles through NICU materials after the loss of her son, Hudson, and later attended our Wave of Light event. She shared that the ministry has provided “a supportive community that is understanding and safe to share in our grief journey,” adding that the faith-based support has been especially helpful as she navigates grief and her relationship with God.

Emily heard about the Bereaved Mother’s Day event through Kelci, who invited her to attend. Emily shared that it became “the perfect reason to meet her and also celebrate a difficult time.” Since the event, the two have continued building a friendship and hope to attend future Bridget’s Cradles events together with their families.

At Bridget’s Cradles, we believe community matters in the healing journey because no mother should have to grieve alone.

Whether through a handmade cradle, a memory keepsake, a support group, a remembrance event, or a free grief resource, Bridget’s Cradles reminds families that their babies are remembered and their stories matter.

If you need support, we’re here.

If you’d like to make this care possible for another family, we invite you to give.