Those Who Walked With Us

We are somewhat private people. The last thing we desire is to make a spectacle of our daughter’s suffering or to solicit sympathy and support publicly on social platforms. But even in the midst of the chaos and turmoil, when we would rarely check our phones or reach out, that support and love found its way to us regardless. We (all three of us) cherish and continue to appreciate every prayer, message, and all types of support that come in all shapes and sizes.

It would be a lie to say that there were not instances where we felt pressure, judgement, division, or undue burdens on top of the insurmountable devastation that God had placed in our path. Despite the conflicts that naturally arise from such suffering, we are so blessed to have friends and family who stand in with us in solidarity. It has redefined what loyalty, family, and community mean to us. It is impossible to grasp how we, or anyone else, could navigate this uncharted territory without the support and compassion of those closest to us. These darkest moments will undoubtedly bring about conflict and pain, but they also have a way of bringing us together as grievances are disregarded in service of our shared purpose, pain, and loss.

Perhaps it is true; You do not truly know someone until you have shared a foxhole with them. It is unclear if or when we might truly leave this foxhole, but knowing all who walked this path with us to share in our sorrow, lending themselves to our cause: We see you, and we know you. We thank you for the respect, compassion, grace, and love that has emboldened us to keep walking this treacherous path so that we may lay our baby daughter to rest with dignity and care as we pray she finds the peace in death that we could not give her in life.

Thank you to every individual that showed up in our most vulnerable moments. If there is ever an opportunity for us to be there for you or to reciprocate those feelings, words and actions, we would not think twice.

You sometimes find light in the places you would never expect to find it. Holt & Holt is a family-run funeral home - a rarity in this age of corporate consolidation. In choosing them, we got so much more than we expected. We found a family whose own personal journey with grief and loss gave us something rare and irreplaceable: real friends who had walked this same soul-crushing path before us, giving us faith that we too could navigate through this darkness.

They accommodated our indecision and our logistical hurdles with patience and grace. They provided guidance when we had none, comfort when we were beyond consolation, and a level of care that reflected not a business transaction but a genuine compassion for what we were enduring. And they did all of this at a very generous price that reflected their heart as much as their craft.

If you feel called, please take a moment to write a Google Review. You can find them on Yelp and Facebook. Their page on Audrey May can be found here, with a touching obituary written by Haley. Thank you, to William and Liana specifically, for a graveside service that did our girl proud - and for offering the comfort of someone who knows, truly knows, the weight of what we carry.

Perhaps it was misplaced pride, anger, fear, or self-pity, but we now see clearly that there were times in which we neglected ourselves, each other, and our responsibilities as we were consumed with Audrey May’s medical crisis. We made a very poor effort to use resources and benefits that were available to us at the time. However, it is impossible to have any regrets of time we spent in the hospital caring for nothing but our baby girl.

In the end, these things have a way of working out, and we have faith that they will. We are truly blessed and full of gratitude for the love and support that has already been shown. There is no expectation. The fact that you are spending time on her website and honoring Audrey’s memory is, in itself, the best support we could possibly receive, and we would love to hear about it. But if you do feel compelled to contribute in some way, you can use these links below to gift a small amount that might help dictate what sort of headstone we can give to Audrey May as a final gift from us. A great alternative is to donate to any of the charities above in Audrey’s name.

Share her story through this site. Leave a message on the Guestbook. Light a candle / Give a flower or interact with her Tribute Garden. Show her photos. Say a prayer privately. Or reach out directly any time. Keep her memory alive as we now carry a small part of her within us. All is appreciated and nothing is expected. We are just grateful that you are here.

Venmo Contribute directly if you feel called. Cash App Offer support through Cash App.

Contribute to Audrey May’s Headstone