It's hard to say there's a great big plan, when tragedy forces a mother to deal with something no mother should have to deal with: the loss of a child. Yet, when we see a grieving mother like Haley Koenig find the light in the darkness, at least we know that even in tragedy there is hope.
Haley knew her son Gavin would be born with a congenital heart defect, but she carried him to term anyway. The baby boy took to nursing with joy, and it was oh so important to build the little guy's strength. When Gavin went in for open-heart surgery on his second birthday, Haley had an ominous feeling. She knew her son didn't make it. "The following day, there was just a feeling, and I didn't want to acknowledge that feeling," said Haley. "I plugged in my pump and pumped some milk for him. I just wanted to get that out because that was for Gavin, and we were told he wasn't with us any longer."
With 40 bags of breast milk left, she knew she had to donate it to Indiana Mother's Milk Bank. It was on the day that she donated the breast milk she took comfort in knowing she was pregnant with Gavin's little brother. Today, Haley still continues to donate, and the mother of two premie twin girls is ever so grateful. Nothing can replace the loss of a child, but Haley has found a way to honor that loss.
Please SHARE this story to wish this mother the best of luck!
