From Grief to Compassion: Two Families Honor Their Sons by Helping Others

The loss of a baby through stillbirth is a profound heartbreak that can be difficult to put into words. Yet two families, connected by unimaginable loss, are sharing their experiences to honor their sons, support other grieving parents and bring greater awareness to a subject too often met with silence.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, stillbirth—the loss of a baby after 20 weeks of pregnancy and before birth—affects approximately 1 in 175 births. Each year, about 21,000 babies are stillborn in the United States. Behind each number is a deeply loved child and a family whose life has been forever changed.

In 2015, Keely Tateossian and her husband, Malcon Pierce, experienced the devastating loss of their son, Cooper, at Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital. At that time, a cooling bassinet was not available to give them additional time with Cooper—something they hope no family facing a similar loss will have to experience. As part of their journey through grief, Pierce, a longtime Walt Disney Animation Studios artist, found a way to express what words could not. He wrote and directed Versa, a deeply personal animated short film inspired by the couple’s experience. Through beautiful imagery and movement, the film explores love, loss, grief and the difficult path toward healing. Dedicated to Cooper, Versa offers a message of hope: Healing does not mean leaving a loved one behind, but finding meaningful ways to carry that love forward.

Estefani and Sergio Aguayo experienced a similar heartbreak last year when their son, Thomas, was stillborn at Henry Mayo. During their time at the Center for Women and Newborns, the Aguayo family was surrounded by caregivers who treated Thomas and their entire family with extraordinary compassion. The care team offered the family the use of a CuddleCot (donated from the Sandnes Family Foundation in memory of Morgan Grieder), a specially designed cooling bassinet that allowed Thomas to remain with his parents longer. This additional time gave family members an opportunity to meet him, hold him, say goodbye and create precious memories that will always be part of his story.

On August 14, Estefani and Sergio returned to Henry Mayo to honor Thomas and express their gratitude to the team that cared for their family. They provided meals for both the day and night shifts at the Center for Women and Newborns, recognizing the staff members whose kindness helped carry them through one of the most painful moments of their lives. Their gesture was more than a thank-you. It was an expression of enduring love for Thomas and a reminder that compassionate care can make a lasting difference for families experiencing infant loss.

Now, the Pierce and Aguayo families are joining together to help ensure that other parents have access to this precious gift of time. They are raising awareness and funds to purchase an additional Caring Cradle for Henry Mayo’s Center for Women and Newborns. A Caring Cradle is a specially designed bassinet that gently cools a baby’s body, slowing the natural changes that occur after death. It is simple to prepare and does not require wires, hoses or continuous monitoring. Most importantly, it gives grieving parents and loved ones additional time to hold their baby, welcome family members, take photographs, participate in remembrance traditions and say goodbye at their own pace.

No piece of equipment can lessen the magnitude of losing a child. However, for families facing such a loss, additional time can be an immeasurable gift. By sharing Cooper’s and Thomas’ stories, these families hope to help remove the stigma surrounding stillbirth and make it easier for others to speak openly about pregnancy and infant loss. Their message to grieving parents is simple but powerful: Your baby mattered. Your grief is real. Your child’s name deserves to be spoken and remembered.
Through the courage and generosity of their families, Cooper’s and Thomas’ legacies will help provide comfort, dignity and meaningful time to other parents when they need it most.

To support the purchase of a Caring Cradle for the Center for Women and Newborns, please donate below or contact the Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital Foundation at 661-200-1205.