Rashelle and Clint’s love story sounds like a song on the radio. They grew up in a small town. Graduation took them both on different paths and adventures, but after bumping into each other back home, they reconnected and fell in love. Rashelle and Clint began to make a new life together. A home to experience all the ‘firsts’ a young couple looks forward to; first jobs, first home, first baby.”
When Rashelle and Clint found out they were expecting they were over the moon to be growing their family. Rashelle’s pregnancy was normal, perfect even. The weeks were getting closer to baby’s due date and everything – the nursery, car seat, baby-proofing the house –it was all ready and prepped for baby.
When the soon-to-be parents arrived at Liberty Hospital Birthing Center, they had no idea how their story would change. After a normal pregnancy and several hours of labor, their son, Henry was born sleeping. It was an outcome that no one can prepare you for, and was a complete shock to the Kornemans and their family.
When a full-term loss occurs at Liberty Hospital, families are given the opportunity to use a Caring Cradle. The Caring Cradle, provided by Kyleigh’s Gift, gives grieving families more time with their baby. Simply put, a Caring Cradle provides grieving families precious time they will never have again with their child. Time that would otherwise not be possible.
“Kyleigh’s Gift provided us the most precious gift we could’ve asked for during the most horrific time in our lives. That gift was time.
The Caring Cradle gave us time to hold, kiss, snuggle and even spend the night with our boy right by our sides. We will forever be grateful for that!”
The weeks and months after losing baby Henry were painful. Family gatherings were avoided. Rashelle closed her social media accounts. The young couple was on autopilot, just trying to make it through each day.
“Everyone wanted to be around us. We didn’t want to do any of that.
We needed space on our own, space to feel what we needed to feel.”
It took a long time, but gradually Clint and Rashelle began to see family and friends again. They knew about the Kyleigh’s Gift Run/Walk and wanted to find a meaningful way to remember Henry and bring their family and friends together. In 2019, ‘Team Henry’, was created. Over 40 friends, family members, coworkers and neighbors gathered in support of the Korneman family to run, walk and remember. In 2020, Team Henry walked virtually, and this year, Team Henry will have one more very special team member, baby sister, Faye.
Faye, Henry’s baby sister
“There is nothing that can replace our loss. There is just nothing that can take that away, but you have to keep going.
We have been through it and here we are. We are thankful for that.”
If you would like to join Team Henry and walk/run with us on October 9th, please register here: https://p2p.onecause.com/kyleighsgift/home, or you can make a donation by visiting libertyhospitalfoundation.org.
