Our first child, Jack, died of SIDS when he was 4 months old. It was a Monday in October, a day that neither of us will ever forget. We were young when we got married and started a family. We had been married 2 years when Jack was born and we were only 25 and 23 years old.
Believe it or not, we learned more about ourselves and our family and friends when Jack died than when he was born. We received hundreds of sympathy cards, even from people that we did not and do not know. We had more food than you can imagine, and heart felt sadness just surrounded the whole situation. Babies are not supposed to die but the truth is, they do. That realization touched more people than Allen and I will ever know.
We received love and support from everyone during the week of Jack's death and funeral but one group will always stand out in my mind. My husband is an engineer. He works with men, almost exclusively men. Two of the guys from his group at the time came to our house every single afternoon of the week of Jack's death and kept us stocked on paper towels, toilet paper, paper plates, all the things that no one else had time to worry about. Neither of them had children (they both do now) and one of them was not even married yet. Even back then I remember being amazed by their actions.
When Allen went back to work, about a week after Jack died, his group presented us with a monetary donation and a family Bible. And that, I will NEVER forget. This group of men, men who are usually grouped into the stereotypical category of "thoughtless men" put their hearts together for us.
I loved this. Just wanted you to know.
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