After a healthy pregnancy with no indication that anything was wrong, Sarai went to a routine doctor’s appointment at 28 weeks and 5 days and was given the most heartbreaking news a parent could ever hear — the doctor was unable to find our daughter’s heartbeat. Words no family is ever prepared for.

We delivered Elliott Ann after an induction early in the morning of April 22nd. She was perfect in every way. She was past the “safe week” of viability, yet she never opened her eyes on this side of heaven.

We were able to spend that day with our daughter — introducing her to her big sisters and to our families. We memorized every feature: her blonde curly hair, like her mom’s, and her sweet little nose, like her dad’s.

And then we made the hardest walk of our lives… leaving our daughter in the care of a nurse.

While we never got to bring Elliott home to see her nursery, ride in her car seat, or look into her eyes, she has still impacted our lives more than we can put into words. We will always ask why. We will always wonder why we have to walk this road.

But we are also grateful for the gift of heaven, and for the hope of knowing we will see her again.

Elliott Anne is named after both sides of our family, and her name means “The Lord is my God” and “God has favored me” which we know are both still true.

We miss you, sweet girl, every single day.

We're excited to come together to participate in 2026 Des Moines Angels in the Outfield, a fundraiser supporting No Foot Too Small. Our collective passion for this cause drives us, and we need your support to make a difference! Every donation—big or small—helps us reach our fundraising goal and directly impacts this important cause.

Here's how you can help:

• Donate: Contribute whatever you can. Every dollar counts!
• Spread the Word: Share our fundraising page with your friends, family, and social networks. Let’s spread awareness so we can raise more!

Thank you so much for your support! We couldn’t do this without you!