In April 2018, just five weeks before our second daughter was due, we heard the words no expecting parent wants to hear: “we are having trouble finding her heartbeat.” 

Our sweet daughter, Sadie Daddario Frates, was born still. We were able to spend some time with her, saying hello and goodbye, but it will never be enough. We miss her every day and know our family will never be totally complete because she’s not here with us. 

With the support of our incredibly generous family and friends and with the tremendous help of Ashlie's Embrace, we have already had the honor of donating a piece of medical equipment, a Cuddle Cot, to Geauga Hospital (where both she and Cecilia were born) in Sadie's honor. A Cuddle Cot is a cooling unit that allows bereaved parents more time with their baby after stillbirth or infant loss. If we had access to one when we delivered Sadie, we could have spent more than a couple very quick hours saying our goodbyes. There will never be enough time, but every extra minute matters. I know everyone has causes close to their heart, but if you have a couple extra dollars and are looking for an amazing organization to support, help us place another Cuddle Cot in another hospital to help grieving families have all the time they need to say goodbye.