Instagram/@jillmdillard
Jill Dillard, the past member of the Duggar family, announced the commemoration of Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day by an incredibly moving post in which she named her two small angels, River Bliss and Isla Marie, who passed away. Besides, she urged the others to share their sad experiences and memories, thus creating a community where mourning is collective and support is provided.
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The post from this reality TV star was candid yet very profound. In a nutshell, she said, ‘Today we think of our babies who went before us and we join all families who have lost one through pregnancy or soon after in their grief.’ Specifically mentioning her two children, River Bliss Dillard who died in October 2021 and Isla Marie Dillard who passed away just this March. Dillard further comforted by stating, ‘May you mourn but also experience God’s presence with you.’ She also gave links in her stories to the resources provided in case anyone needed help during such sad times.
It was not long before the comment section became a holy digital graveyard. Many hundreds of parents pointed to the light and told their stories of the deceased ones who they only keep alive in their memory. The volume of sharing was indisputable proof that many families go through the same mourning.
A parent user shared about her twin boys in a touching manner. ‘Ethan & Nathan—my dear angels born conjoined at 32 weeks and dying just after their birth,’ she noted. ‘They would have been 5 this November. I miss them every day.’ While narrating her story with such emotional intensity, she still feels and speaks about their kicks, hence, the affected area and duration of the loss is emphasized both physically and emotionally.
In a separate comment, the writer illustrated the complex sorrow of having one child die while the other survives. ‘Lost my baby on 10/31/24 Taylor Jay. We did get to keep their twin sister though,’ the person opened up. ‘I still feel the pain for my sweetheart Taylor though.’ This Dialogue presents the composite emotions of many parents, where happiness and sorrow are intertwined.
The volume of grief manifested was immense. A person commented, ‘We experienced 8 early losses before we eventually got our marvelous family of 3 on Earth.’ Another shared, ‘I have two in Heaven with Jesus. I am longing for the day we are reunited.’ For some, faith was the foundation upon which their mourning rested, as several comments alluded to a hopeful reunion in the afterlife.
A sad interaction was seen between the public figure, Jamie Otis, and a user who wrote about the unwanted ‘club’ of loss. Otis then unfortunately shared her recent pain by revealing, ‘Our son Elliot was born Jan 24th (at just under 26 weeks), and died on Jan 26th.’ The living son’s heartbreaking quote, who then begged, ‘But he’s MY brother, not Jesus’s brother. Please let him come back to Earth,’ was included by her. This case illustrates how loss reverberates through the entire family, affecting siblings in difficult and confusing ways.
Some users returned to recounts of their losses which happened ages ago, not to say that this is a grief that has really got outdated. ‘For my big sister, she was stillborn on October 6th, 1952.’ one commenter wrote. ‘My mom used to call her “the first”. No name given back then.’ This remark indicates how previous generations were often compelled to suffer this agony in silence and, at the same time, makes discussions about such issues very important just like the one initiated by Dillard.
Another grieving parent disclosed the rare name of the little one, ‘Leviticus David Layne Afton,’ who was ‘stillborn at 28 weeks.’ The meticulousness in choosing a name, only for it to be linked with a memory rather than being spoken and called, is a striking aspect across these narratives. The declaration of every name is a symbol of a life that was deeply dreamed and beautifully loved.
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The post by Jill Dillard was not simply about narrating her own story but also about uniting a community of people in a way that was rather implicit in the asking of people to share the names and memories of their babies. Thus, a strong act of collective remembrance was created with the help of the powerful and mighty mother. It was all about the love, loss, and the names of the children who, although not present physically, are definitely not easily forgotten. This was a moment of quiet recognition and shared sorrow in the world which very often does not know how to handle discussions about the losses caused by pregnancy or infant death. The day was a powerful reminder that the smallest lives produce the greatest voids. In other family news, Jill continues to share glimpses of her life.