Loved ones gather to honor, remember lives of lost children

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – The loss of a pregnancy or child creates unimaginable grief for the parents, siblings and extended families of the deceased. On Saturday, a walk of remembrance in Anchorage gave those who have experienced the tragic loss of a child or sibling a chance to honor their beloved.

The annual Walk To Remember was held at the Providence Alaska Medical Center on Saturday morning in recognition of those who have lost a child or pregnancy. The event, co-sponsored by Providence Alaska Children’s Hospital Bereavement Council and Hospice of Anchorage, offered a community of understanding as well as a physical way to honor those who are no longer bodily present.

Providence Alaska Children’s Hospital’s the Rev. Jamez Terry recognizes the healing that can be found in uniting with other families who have endured the same tragedy.

“I think one of the most important things is being able to connect with others who to share what you’re feeling, to share what you’re going through, to continue talking about your child and and keeping their memory alive in the world, which is one of the things that this event helps to do,” the Rev. Terry said.

The walk began at 10 a.m. inside Providence Alaska’s hospital facility and proceeded to the shore of University Lake for a short ceremony. Some carried ribbons attached to a stick, the names and messages written on them dancing in the wind as they walked across the Providence and UAA campuses.

Families then gathered lakeside as names and messages were read aloud to those not present to celebrate their twelfth birthdays, meet their younger siblings, go on ski trips or play in baseball games.

Then they headed down to the lake, where they gently placed handwritten notes made on water-soluble paper into the lake and watched as their messages vanished into the water, using the moment to remember the life of the deceased.

According to the CDC, 3,400 infants die unexpectedly each year, and approximately 24,000 pregnancies each year end in stillbirth. The infant mortality rate in the United States measures at an average of 5.4 deaths per 1,000 births — the highest in any developed nation — but for Alaska Native and American Indian populations, the average is a shocking 7.9 deaths per 1,000 births.

Regardless of whether the life of a child ends at 21 weeks or 21 years of age, the frustration and anguish of the loss can be devastating for the parents, siblings, grandparents and communities left behind.

“It’s an overwhelming loss. It is hard to put into words how much of a toll it takes,” the Rev. Terry said. ”It’s a thing that people get through but don’t get over you carry with you for the rest of your life.”

Saturday’s event was held ahead of similar events in other states, which are October to recognize Pregnancy, Infant and Child Loss Month. Anchorage holds their walk in August, ahead of the first snowfall, to allow those of varying abilities to safely join.

A list of statewide and local resources for those who have experienced the loss of a pregnancy, a stillbirth, or the death of a child are available at the Providence website. Most larger community hospitals in the state staff a department of bereavement specialists to assist families with immediate needs. The Providence Alaska Children’s Hospital Bereavement Council can be reached by phone at 907-212-3344.

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