Megan & Thomas Leidy's Story

"It is crazy to think how one’s life can change in an instant. In our case, an instant changed numerous lives. On June 21, 2019, I went in for a routine, prenatal check-up. As always, the heartbeat was very strong at a rate of 150 and my C-section was scheduled. The next day was a joyous one, as family and friends gathered to celebrate our son at his baby shower. The remainder of the weekend was spent unpacking the numerous gifts we had gotten and finishing up the nursery. We were ready to go!

On Monday, I began to realize his movements weren’t as strong as they were previously, but I was still feeling him move some. On Tuesday June 25, I decided to call the office and get checked out since I worked at the hospital at that time. I called my husband, Thomas, and when he asked to come, I responded with, “No I am fine, just want some peace of mind. I will call you if I need you.” When I went up to the labor and delivery unit, I did not think I would be leaving without my son, but unfortunately that is what happened. At 3:07 p.m., I delivered the most precious baby boy Thomas and I have ever laid eyes on. Weighing in at 4 pounds 6 ounces, Carter Thomas Leidy was perfect in every way; he looked just like his daddy.

Everything seemed to be moving in slow motion, and Thomas and I couldn’t believe this had happened to us. You hear about these tragic situations happening to others, but when you are 34 weeks along, you do not think it will happen to you. As we were sitting in the hospital room holding our son, surrounded by our families, we did not know what to do next. Thomas and I had to make very serious decisions in a short amount of time, and we are very thankful for all the love and support from not only our families, but from Sufficient Grace Ministries and the labor and delivery staff at Lima Memorial Hospital. Numbness and devastation consumed us. We spent the next several days surrounded by family and special friends as we held, kissed, cradled and loved on our sweet, sweet son. We created precious little hand and footprints so we could have them to look at forever. We took photos that we will forever treasure for as long as we both live. We told him over and over again just how much we loved him and how he will never ever be forgotten. Those days, while I wouldn’t trade them for the world, will never be enough. It was in those days we promised Carter we would keep his memory alive.

In the weeks and months that followed the loss of our son, we had numerous people reaching out to us showing their care and support. We began to see the good in the world again. It was then we knew we wanted to help future loss families. We cherish the keepsakes we have of our Carter, and we knew we wanted to provide families with something that would serve as a memory of their child gone too soon. After numerous discussions, we decided to provide loss parents with a blanket. This is how Carter's Comfort was born. I sew blankets and create care packages that are given to grieving parents. Our hope is the parents are able to wrap their baby up in the blanket and bring a sense of peace and comfort during the most difficult time in their lives. 

While our lives will never be the same and our family will never be complete, we are so lucky and blessed to be Carter's mom and dad."

    – Megan and Thomas Leidy, Parents of Carter Thomas Leidy