Lindsey and Jarmez Eason were nervous but thrilled.  After having difficulty starting a family, the Albany couple found out in 2023 that they were going to have twin boys they planned to name Jackson Myles (Jax) and Jordan James (JJ).  “It (the pregnancy) was really pretty uneventful until May 22^nd,” Lindsey said.

About two o’clock that morning, Lindsey woke up in pain.  Within a few hours, the pain had gotten worse and she started bleeding, so she went to the obstetrics emergency center at Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital (PPMH) where she found out she was in pre-term labor.  The medication doctors administered didn’t stop Lindsey’s labor, and she delivered her babies far too early.  Jax passed away an hour later.  JJ only lived for 15 minutes.

“It was undoubtedly the hardest day of our life.  We were devastated and shattered.  We had to say hello and goodbye at the same time,” Lindsey said.  “I’m still processing it three years later.”

As a licensed therapist with Phoebe’s Employee Assistance Program, Lindsey understands grief and its impacts better than most people.  That’s why she agreed to be part of Phoebe’s first Wave of Light ceremony.

“I think sharing our story about our babies is a great way to honor them and to let people know that they are not alone in this journey, when it often feels so very lonely,” she said.

Wave of Light is a global observance held every October 15 on Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day which is the final day of Baby Loss Awareness Week.  Thursday evening, families who have experienced the devastating loss of a baby gathered for a remembrance ceremony at PPMH.  

“Losing a baby is an incredibly difficult and deeply personal experience, and no family should feel they have to carry that grief alone,” said Jennifer Heleski, PPMH Director of Women & Children’s Services. “By gathering for the Wave of Light, we want parents and families to know their babies are remembered, their grief is acknowledged and the Phoebe family is here to offer support.”

Phoebe’s commemoration took place outside the Phoebe Trauma & Critical Care Tower which houses PPMH’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).  It was a meaningful setting for families and caregivers who understand the profound impact of pregnancy and infant loss and appreciate the incredible care provided to vulnerable NICU babies.  Families, Phoebe team members and supporters gathered to remember babies who died during pregnancy or infancy and to acknowledge the love and grief carried by their families.

More than 40 families submitted the names of their babies for recognition and remembrance.  The names were read aloud and presented on screens, and families were given bouquets of flowers.  Members of the Phoebe Family offered words of support, and Lindsey shared her family’s journey, encouraging couples to lean on each other.

“I see your pain.  I see your loss.  Don’t push each other way.  Talk to each other.  It’s just about being present together,” she said.

As part of the Wave of Light, participants are encouraged to light candles at 7 p.m. local time, so as the observance moves through each time zone, the candles create a continuous wave of light around the globe in memory of babies who died too soon.  At the conclusion of the Phoebe ceremony, everyone lit a candle, and the lights in the atrium of the Trauma & Critical Care Tower turned yellow to honor Jax and JJ and all the other babies who have been lost.

While the Easons continue to grieve, their family has since grown.  On August 4, 2024, Lindsey gave birth to a healthy little girl named Kyah, whom Lindsey calls her “rainbow baby.”

“I hope your rainbow comes soon,” she told the other families.  “I hope that you can find joy, even in such a terrible loss.”