The Lovetts, a young couple in Tennessee, was devastated after a miscarriage but were determined to have a family. When they learned they were pregnant with a “rainbow baby” they took six pregnancy tests to quell their shock.
Shortly after they discovered they were having a little girl, they heard the devastating news their precious promise had a rare, deadly brain disorder called Anencephaly: this meant the baby’s brain would not develop properly.
Imagine their shock. Doctors told mom and dad to either carry her to term or mom could get induced right then. Neither of those choices sat well, so they visited her OB-GYN. While the diagnoses for their little girl, Rylei Arcadia Diane Lovett, did not change, their focus did when the doctor said they could carry her to term and donate her organs.
If Rylei couldn’t go home with mom and dad, at least she could help other moms and dads take their little ones home.
Just a few days before Christmas they induced labor that would last more than 48 hours, but on December 24th sweet Rylei was born. Doctors did not expect her to survive birth and organ donation specialists waited patiently for the baby to arrive, but all were shocked when she was born alive.
They said once the cord was cut the baby would pass quickly. A nurse waited with me so we would not waste any valuable time getting her organs and tissue to the right people.
They waited more than thirty minutes before they cut the cord, but little Rylie defied the odds again. They placed the baby on mom’s chest, and after an hour, Rylei was still strong. The nurse put a monitor on her.
Someone came and took her fingerprints, which later was made into a keepsake for her parents. After twelve hours her vitals were stable. She was brought home a week later, where she was showered with intense and lasting love from her family.
In an article written by mom Krista, she shared that two kids would live a lot longer because of little Rylei and “…If I wasn’t able to bring my baby home forever, at least others could.”
Babies are such sweet gifts, and little Rylei was especially sweet. Mom and Dad are incredible people for giving her a chance to live and to help others. We pray for peace and comfort in this time and a for healthy babies in their future.
