GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Emily Notenbaum's son Graham lived for a matter of hours, but his life continues to impact families in Michigan and beyond.
Notenbaum created the nonprofit 14 Hours Strong in his honor, helping families affected by pregnancy and infant loss.
"Sharing about it can help other people feel like they're not alone. And it can help. It helped me to cope by sharing it," Notenbaum told FOX 17 News. "I just hope sharing my story and providing that support can provide comfort to even just one person."
The Grand Rapids mother learned something was wrong with her third pregnancy during a routine ultrasound.
"Normal pregnancy till 20 weeks when we got the diagnosis ... spina bifida and Trisomy 18," she recalled. "They said that we probably wouldn't make it to term and if we did, he wouldn't be born alive."
Notenbaum's son Graham entered the world in October 2020.
"We got 14 hours with him. So we had a whole night. And then the next morning, he started to decline," she said. "That's all we could have really hoped for. I mean, we could have had none. So the fact that we got that when a lot of families with that diagnosis don't get anything. And the fact that he was healthy enough to meet his sisters and stuff was huge for us. And that was a huge blessing."
Six months after his passing, Notenbaum launched 14 Hours Strong. The organization provides support and care packages to other families experiencing loss.
Notenbaum said around 50 families have been helped so far.
"We send, like, personalized care packages to families, usually, like a Memory Box, personalized stuff with the baby's name [and] birthday. Very specific to the situation," she explained. "Just comfort and support and I want them to feel heard and feel like their babies [are] important and not just another statistic because I know you hear the 'one in four' all the time, but it's just ... that's not comforting. ... I want them to feel validated and their baby, not just the statistics."
Notenbaum, who has gone on to welcome twins, is doing her best to make sure her son Graham is never forgotten.
"I'd like him to be remembered as our son, the girls' brother, a part of our family and just that his life made a difference and helped us help other people. I mean, it shaped our life so much and made me who I am today. And I'm very grateful for that."
To learn more about 14 Hours Strong, or to request a care package, click here.
October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month.
One in four pregnancies ends in loss during pregnancy or birth.
