We care deeply for our Grief Warriors – those bereaved mamas and daddy’s who carry their babies in their heart, rather in their arms. We are devoted to providing them help and hope. We champion their healing and honor their grief journey.

Today, on #warriorwednesday, we spotlight a fellow Grief Warrior and their beloved baby to bring awareness to the Pregnancy and Infant Loss Community and light the path for other grief warriors coming behind us with hope. We’re asking each warrior the same five questions as we learn more about their story and their cultivation of beautiful scars.

Today’s #warriorwedneday spotlight is Makenzi, our newest board member, and her son, Luca.

1. What is your name and your baby/babies’ name   My name is Makenzi Hein and my sweet baby boy’s name is Luca Grant Hein. 

2. How far along your grief journey are you? (ex. 5 years)   I am 4 1/2 months into my grief journey.   

3. What aspect of the pregnancy and infant loss community have you chosen to get involved with and why did you choose that, specifically?   I have chosen to get involved with The Beautiful Scar Project. This organization brought my husband and I so much support both inside the hospital and out. I knew miscarriages happened, but I didn’t know they were so common. While I was pregnant, the thought never crossed my mind that it could or even would happen so when it did, I was lost. My husband and I didn’t know what to expect or what the process would look like. We were asked during labor if we wanted a funeral, or an autopsy for our baby. Overwhelmed with emotions and still processing the loss of our child, these are things we hadn’t even started to think about. The Beautiful Scar Project’s White Folder of Hope gave us answers to our questions. They did the research about funerals, cremation, and autopsies for us. They encouraged things we could do with our baby in our short time together. They made us feel we weren’t alone. They helped lift a weight off our shoulders. I wanted to give back to this organization and to other parents in need. With that, I have just become the newest member on the board.    I also am participating in the walk put on by NILMDTS. I will be doing the walk with a nurse that was a huge part in both the welcoming of our baby and our saying goodbye.   

4. How has your grief journey evolved since the early days of raw grief?   My grief journey has evolved since the early days. Although the feeling of numbness is still present, it’s not to the same extent. Some days are worse than others. Things that I never thought would cause me to be upset sometimes do and I’m taken back to that day. In my early days of grief, I struggled with time passing by. I felt alone and that the world went on like nothing happened. I no longer feel that way. I don’t feel alone and although time continues to get further and further from that day, the feelings of love for my child are just as strong!   

5. If you could give your raw grief self a piece of advice, what would you say?   If I could give my raw grief self a piece of advice, I would say be patient with yourself. Allow yourself to feel what your feeling. I would tell my raw grief self something a sweet friend said to me “you’re not moving on from losing Luca, but moving forward.” I would make sure I truly knew that Luca will always be apart of me and the brief connection we shared will always hold a special place in my heart.