Donations have been made in Zoey’s honor to the St. Louis Zoo, Allison’s Angel Gowns, Molly Bears and Children’s Miracle Network.

Donations to the Zoo not only help support the animals at the Zoo, but also conservation and research efforts.  Through these donations, Zoey will have a brick placed in her honor at the entrance to the Zoo later this year. It means so much to us that her name will be at the same location where we celebrated both our marriage and her life.

Allison’s Angel Gowns accepts wedding dresses and transforms them into gowns for angel babies. Donations to AAG in Zoey’s honor helped a family receive a gown after they unexpectedly lost their child at birth and continue to help fund material and shipping costs. This group gave me the inspiration to have my mom and grandma transform my wedding dress into a gown for Zoey.  Thankfully we didn’t need it at the hospital and we were able to have her photos taken in it as a newborn.  Read Allison’s story at allisonsangelgowns.com.

Molly Bears creates weighted bears to bring comfort to families facing the loss of an infant.  I have a Zoey bear ordered and donations in Zoey’s honor will help 10 more families receive their bears sooner.  I’ve struggled so much with missing the weight of Zoey against me.  It might seem strange to those who have not experienced this loss, but I can’t tell you what it will mean to me to hold something the same weight as Zoey again.  To learn more about the story behind the bears, visit mollybears.com.

Donations are now being accepted in Zoey’s honor to Children’s Miracle Network as part of my “run for Zoey”.  Children’s Miracle Network provides funds to both Cardinal Glennon and Children’s Hospital.  Cardinal Glennon provided care to us through the Fetal and Maternal Care Center before Zoey was born.  They always made us feel like Zoey’s life was worth fighting for.  The Wings program which provided Zoey’s hospice care is through Children’s Hospital.  Because of them, we were able to bring Zoey home and keep her there with us.  And they loved her too.

I am so thankful that so many of you have given so generously and that Joe and I are also able to help these groups too. We will never understand why we lost Zoey.  Why these things happen to other families. We obviously feel Zoey’s life had purpose and meaning, but you always hope that extends outside of just your family. Zoey’s life is helping animals that are more than just entertainment at the Zoo, helping other bereaved families navigate their new journey and helping the hospitals that served her in the hopes that another family can avoid joining us on this path. Zoey’s life is continuing to have an impact on others.  It doesn’t bring her back.  It doesn’t help answer all the questions.  But it does bring me great comfort.