While Jeri and Zach experienced a third infant loss – an early miscarriage in 2017, their family’s story isn’t all about heartache. Their son, Bruce, and daughter, Layla, were born in 2015 and 2018, respectively. Those youngsters bring joy to their lives daily.
“Despite everything we’ve been through, I know how blessed I am,” Jeri says. “I have two children buried together and two amazing kids right next to me.”
She’s often asked about the difficulty of moving on after such heartbreaking losses.
“One time in church, the sermon was about why bad things happen to good people,” she says. “Well, there isn’t always a reason. Sometimes horrible things happen, but we can find our purpose within those horrible things. Our purpose is to help other people in similar situations.”
Jeri and Zach are doing that through their support of the Blessing Foundation and Blessed Beginnings. More than $4,400 has been raised in Allie’s memory to date, with 100 percent of the money going straight to the families in need.
“I would never wish any mother and father to have to endure what Zach and I went through. But it warms my heart to know that if Allie can make someone’s hospital stay or grieving process a little easier, then Zach and I are being the role models and parents to her that we weren’t able to be here on Earth.”