Our sweet boy, Maverick.
Original: The Unthinkable Happened
1st Update: (Posted in my local sub) If you have a loved one buried in Westminster Memorial Park Mortuary and Cemetery....
Final Update: We went. This cemetery is huge - miles long. We drove around and around and eventually my husband just ...came to a stop. I grabbed a couple dozen white roses out of the car and the first headstone right outside of the car read:
Woman's Name
Date - Date
And Unborn Son
Boy's Name
And that really hit me like a ton of bricks. We're lucky that I wasn't maimed in such a major car accident, let alone entirely uninjured aside from soft tissue damage. There's a sick gratitude in the fact that our son is the only one who passed.
It was the only headstone that any of us saw regarding an unborn child. And it was the first one we saw. I think it was Mav letting us know that he knew we were there with him. I talked to Maverick the whole time we were at the cemetery with tears and snot, running down my face. I talked to mothers and fathers headstones as I left them flowers, asking them to hold his hand and sing to him, making sure he wasn't scared. I made sure to say their names out loud. My MIL placed roses on headstones for grandparents and my husband left flowers for younger boys and girls, those that can hopefully bring him solace and laughter just for the weekend, as we will be picking him up on Monday.
We want to thank everyone who responded to our posts. We know there is nothing prophetic that anyone can say. If I might ask, if we cross your mind at any time, if you could say Maverick Russell's name out loud. Just a "Hi" or let him know that you're thinking about him, or his parents are. That he's missed. That your loved ones who have passed are happy to hug him and hold him...