A Light for Andrew

October 15 is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day. Tonight, the International Wave of Light invites us to light a candle in memory of the babies we carry in our hearts.

My son Andrew would have turned five this year.

I find myself wondering who he would be - what would make him laugh, what he would love, how his voice would sound among his siblings’. There is so much I will never know. But I know he will always be my child, and he will always be part of my story.

After losing Andrew, I came to know the Pregnancy and Infant Loss (PAIL) Network, an extraordinary organization that offers support to grieving families. I am grateful for the people who listen, who make room for our grief, and who understand how much it can mean to hear someone say our baby’s name.

Today, I’m thinking of every family who has experienced pregnancy or infant loss. Those who speak openly, those who grieve privately, and those whose loss was never fully acknowledged. There is no requirement to share your story for it to matter.

If you’re able, take a quiet moment tonight and light a candle. For your little one. For someone you love. For a family carrying an absence you may never see.

Tonight, I light mine for Andrew.

Always my son. Always part of our family.