Sawyer's Heart Comforts Grieving Families

A year ago, Michelle Williams of Channahon entered Comer Children’s Hospital at University of Chicago to deliver her second child, a son, Sawyer.

She left several days later clutching a memory box, the only tangible proof of Sawyer’s brief life. Michelle and her husband, Erik, recently assembled and donated memory boxes to three area hospitals: Morris Hospital, Silver Cross Hospital in Joliet and Provena Saint Joseph Medical Center in Joliet.

“We thought about the time we had with Sawyer before we had to give him up,” Michelle said. “We made footprints of his tiny feet. We bathed him and dressed him in a little gown. At the time, we were going through the motions, but these are the only items that show I had a baby. I thought, ‘We were lucky. Everyone should have something like this.’”

So Michelle and Erik packaged memory boxes for micro-premature babies (between 18 and 24 weeks), premature babies (24 to 36 weeks) and full-term babies. Inside the boxes are bereavement literature; copies of, “When Hello Means Goodbye,” and “The Christmas Box” (books addressing the grief accompanying a child’s death); foot/hand molds; picture holders; blankets; a small, stuff animal; and hand-knitted hats and/or booties.

Marilyn Paolella, director of maternal child care at Silver Cross Hospital, appreciated the Williams’ generosity. In the past, staff purchased a few memorabilia for grieving parents, but nothing as elaborate as the Williams’ kits.

“It’s important for parents to have those memories of their babies, and to be able to share those memories with others, Paolella said. "They help with the grieving process.”

Sawyer had a congenital heart defect, Tetralogy of Fallot. His complications included a ventricular septal defect – a large hole between his left and right ventricles – and pulmonary atresia, where Sawyer’s pulmonary valve did not form. Although Sawyer was premature, full-term babies do not fair well with this defect, even when they undergo surgery to correct it.

After Sawyer’s death, the Williams wanted to reach out to other grieving parents, but hadn’t the resources to begin an official non-profit organization. So they contacted the Coal City-based Angels of Hope, a non-for profit with the idea and named the project, Sawyer’s Heart. A wish list is posted on the Angels of Hope site.

“They were thankful we wanted to take it on and it has been beyond successful,” Michelle said. “People from all over the country have sent donations. My basement is full of things. There are places that sell memory boxes, but they’re very expensive and hospitals have budget issues. When a baby passes, we thought it we would be nice if the hospital could just take something off the shelf and give to the parents.”

This was not the Williams' first experience a pediatric heart issue. Their daughter, Sadie, 3, has Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA), where blood flows between two of the heart’s major arteries. Because the PDA is small, Sadie’s cardiologist is monitoring it. Michelle and Erik recently had their third child, Landon Sawyer.

Michelle also communicates to grieving parents through www.sawyersheart.blogspot.com. The blog has nearly 700 followers. She and Erik plan to donate memory boxes each year on Sawyer’s birthday.

“It’s the best way to honor his memory,” Michelle said.