Gavin's Gifts Charity was started at the end of 2010 after a very trying time in our life. Gavin Scott was born on August 30, 2010. He was 35 weeks gestation age. This is HIS story.
August 28th, my wife had noticed that our baby hadn't moved for about a day or so. She was 35 weeks along and miserable as usual. We called the doctor and they told us to come down to the hospital to get checked out. So we went to Labor and Delivery and had 4 or 5 different ultrasounds confirming that the baby's heart wasn't beating. This was utterly devastating to us as we had been waiting for 35 weeks to meet our son. Due to overwhelming emotions, we elected to go home that day and come back the next day to start the labor process.
Sunday, August 29th, aka my wife's birthday... we went into the hospital. At 9am, she was started on the oxytocin to help induce
labor. To spare the details, Gavin Scott was delivered the next morning, the 30th at 12:11am. He weighed 5 lbs. 13 oz. and was 20 and 1/2 inches long. This was a happy and a very sad time for us as our son was a stillborn. The hospital was awesome, as we got to spend the next 14 hours with him resting and spending quality time with our son. A professional photographer came in at 2 in the morning and volunteered his time to take some pictures for us (which were free by the way), we got professional molds of his hands and feet (free), and everybody was so nice. We invited the family to the hospital at 2am in the morning as well to come say HI to our little guy and take some pictures.
The next afternoon, after only two hours of rest, we said our goodbyes and left the hospital. Due to the fact that Gavin was so far along, we had to have a funeral home come pick him up from the hospital and do a graveside service. For my first daughter's birth, I wanted to build her something special, so I built her a toy box. I wanted to do something special for Gavin, so I elected to build him his casket. I had a TON of help from my brothers and dad and the rest of the family really. It turned out beautiful and perfect just like Gavin.
The following Friday, we held a graveside service over at the Meridian cemetery which was very emotional but wonderful at the same time. I knew that Gavin would be forever protected in a casket that I built him. We had a short service, and then I got to stick the casket down in his grave. I participated anywhere I could along this journey because I wanted to make sure he was taken care of and alright. I guess that's the father in me. The funeral home did not charge for any of their services for a stillborn baby, so we saved about $3,000. This was a HUGE help at this time.
Gavin's Gifts Charity was created to remember our special son and to help other people in similar situations. As mentioned, I built his casket and it turned out beautiful. We want to be able to build caskets for stillborn children and give them away to the family free of charge. We feel like this is a special quiet way that we can help out. Parents always want the best for their child, even if we have to bury one sometimes. We love our son very much and are very excited to meet him in the life to come.
August 28th, my wife had noticed that our baby hadn't moved for about a day or so. She was 35 weeks along and miserable as usual. We called the doctor and they told us to come down to the hospital to get checked out. So we went to Labor and Delivery and had 4 or 5 different ultrasounds confirming that the baby's heart wasn't beating. This was utterly devastating to us as we had been waiting for 35 weeks to meet our son. Due to overwhelming emotions, we elected to go home that day and come back the next day to start the labor process.
Sunday, August 29th, aka my wife's birthday... we went into the hospital. At 9am, she was started on the oxytocin to help induce
labor. To spare the details, Gavin Scott was delivered the next morning, the 30th at 12:11am. He weighed 5 lbs. 13 oz. and was 20 and 1/2 inches long. This was a happy and a very sad time for us as our son was a stillborn. The hospital was awesome, as we got to spend the next 14 hours with him resting and spending quality time with our son. A professional photographer came in at 2 in the morning and volunteered his time to take some pictures for us (which were free by the way), we got professional molds of his hands and feet (free), and everybody was so nice. We invited the family to the hospital at 2am in the morning as well to come say HI to our little guy and take some pictures.
The next afternoon, after only two hours of rest, we said our goodbyes and left the hospital. Due to the fact that Gavin was so far along, we had to have a funeral home come pick him up from the hospital and do a graveside service. For my first daughter's birth, I wanted to build her something special, so I built her a toy box. I wanted to do something special for Gavin, so I elected to build him his casket. I had a TON of help from my brothers and dad and the rest of the family really. It turned out beautiful and perfect just like Gavin.
The following Friday, we held a graveside service over at the Meridian cemetery which was very emotional but wonderful at the same time. I knew that Gavin would be forever protected in a casket that I built him. We had a short service, and then I got to stick the casket down in his grave. I participated anywhere I could along this journey because I wanted to make sure he was taken care of and alright. I guess that's the father in me. The funeral home did not charge for any of their services for a stillborn baby, so we saved about $3,000. This was a HUGE help at this time.
Gavin's Gifts Charity was created to remember our special son and to help other people in similar situations. As mentioned, I built his casket and it turned out beautiful. We want to be able to build caskets for stillborn children and give them away to the family free of charge. We feel like this is a special quiet way that we can help out. Parents always want the best for their child, even if we have to bury one sometimes. We love our son very much and are very excited to meet him in the life to come.