The phone rang at Save the Storks’ headquarters last Friday. This call was quite literally one of life and death. A donor of ours informed us of Katy, a friend who was 22 weeks pregnant and whose father had just been put on hospice.
Nearing the end of a long battle with pancreatic cancer, his final wish was to meet his grandchild before he passed away. His health was quickly failing and the chance of him making it through the weekend was slim.
Desperate, the donor asked how we could help.
Two local organizations, A Caring Pregnancy Center and Life Network, partnered with us to make a dying man’s last wish possible. With the use of a mobile medical unit and mobile ultrasound machine, several nurses were able to join the family at their home in Colorado Springs.
With a computer screen hooked up to the ultrasound machine, the man was able to meet his grandchild.
Everyone in the room held back tears as he watched his grandbaby kick and move around on the screen. He was able to see the heartbeat and hold a 22-week fetal model to envision how the child would have felt in his arms.
The staff listened as the family shared stories of their “papa’s” vibrant life and the unique connections and relationships that he had with each of his grandchildren.
One of the nurses present wrote, “Katy’s family is one of great faith. Residing in much comfort and peace in the midst of mixed emotions that come with a suffering loved one. They are comforted knowing he will no longer suffer as he graduates eternally in the arms of his Father, God.”
Before leaving, the staff gifted Katy and her husband with a baby blanket that they could cherish in memory of the day.
This experience has deeply affected all of us at Save the Storks as we believe in the inherent value of life from beginning to end. We are so honored to have played a part in orchestrating this divine meeting between a man and his grandchild.
