After Seeking Help of Public, Heartbroken Mom Reunited with Necklace Containing Ashes of Infant Son
There are few things more exciting than welcoming a new family member into the world, and few things as devastating as realizing the future you’ve imagined will never take place.
Cheryl Nance Knabenschuh and Jon Knabenschuh got heartbreaking news when they were 20 weeks pregnant: Their little boy had Osteogenesis imperfecta type 2.
Doctors said that termination was an option, but the Knabenschuhs wanted to give “Quinn” every chance possible and chose to keep fighting for him.
“We were told there would be a 1% chance of survival at birth and we were told how he would suffer regularly from broken and fractured bones for his entire life if he did survive,” they wrote on their GoFundMe.
“We were willing and prepared to do everything we could for our son. We hoped and prayed that he would survive, or that we would at least have a few short moments or hours with him following his birth.”
“When they got him out he wasn’t breathing,” Cheryl said, according to WPDE. “He was rushed to the NICU. I was told they were doing everything they could for him, but that it wasn’t looking good.”
“They tried to get him breathing again with an infant resuscitation mask but were unsuccessful. Our sweet baby boy was gone. During this time I had been taken for two blood transfusions due to extreme blood loss. A few hours later I woke up having to face the sad reality, Quinn hadn’t made it.”
Touched by the hospital’s efforts to help them, the couple started a fundraising campaign to help other parents in similar situations by raising money for better photography equipment and a “cuddle cot,” which helps extend the time parents can spend with their little ones before saying their final goodbyes.
But one of the ways Cheryl chose to remember her child was to have his ashes put into a special necklace.
On Jan. 4, while she and Jon were out running errands and looking at houses, the necklace vanished.
“It wasn’t until after we were home later that day that I reached up for my necklace and realized it was gone,” she shared on Facebook, along with a detailed list of the places they visited. “I have contacted each location we were at that day and have had no luck in finding it.”
“It breaks my heart knowing I lost this and would appreciate anyone that would be willing to share this in hopes that I can get it back. It would be of no value to anyone else, but to me it is beyond priceless.”
Thankfully, just over a week after making her desperate plea online, someone found the keepsake at one of the houses the Knabenschuhs had visited and was able to get it back to Cheryl on Sunday.
“I am beyond happy!!!” Cherly said, according to WPDE. “I seriously have no words!!”
“The outpouring love, kindness and prayers we have received from people all over the world has been absolutely amazing!! I haven’t been able to stop crying today, total tears of joy!!”
Thanks to the power of social media and a caring and observant person, this mother has her precious necklace back where it belongs.
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