How Madelyn’s Fund Supported the Burns Family Through Their NICU Journey and Infant Loss

Please note: This video includes discussion of infant loss, pregnancy complications, emergency delivery, and a NICU journey. Please take care while watching. On October 7, 2022, at 34 weeks and 5 days pregnant, Erin Burns noticed that her daughter, Harper, wasn't moving as much as usual. What began as a concerning afternoon quickly became an emergency as Erin and her husband, Chris, rushed to the hospital. Harper was delivered via emergency C-section after experiencing a loss of oxygen in utero. She was resuscitated immediately after birth and transferred to the NICU, where doctors and nurses worked tirelessly to care for her. Five days later, an MRI revealed devastating news. The oxygen deprivation Harper experienced had caused severe, irreversible brain damage, and her parents were told she would not survive. Chris and Erin spent the next precious hours holding Harper, loving her, and cherishing every moment they had together before saying goodbye to their daughter. "We just traded off holding her and loving her." In this deeply moving video, Chris and Erin share Harper's story, the unimaginable heartbreak of losing their daughter, and how Madelyn's Fund stepped in to support their family during one of the most devastating moments of their lives. In the midst of overwhelming grief, the Burns family was suddenly faced with decisions no parent should ever have to make, including planning their baby's funeral. For Erin, Madelyn's Fund was already a familiar name. Through her previous work in community relations, she had supported the organization's Pink Bow Gala, never imagining that one day her own family would need its services. When the funeral home provided information about Madelyn's Fund, that familiar name offered a small moment of reassurance amid unimaginable uncertainty. "Erin recognizing Madelyn's Fund was something that kind of righted the ship for a second. It gave us somewhere to focus attention, to know that we weren't alone." Through its funeral assistance program, Madelyn's Fund helped cover Harper's funeral expenses, removing a significant financial burden and allowing Chris and Erin to focus on grieving, honoring, and remembering their daughter. "When I spoke to the funeral home, they said it was just taken care of." For the Burns family, that support represented so much more than financial assistance. It was a reminder that their daughter mattered, that their grief was seen, and that they were surrounded by a community of people who cared. "There's also a lot of love there, right? They don't even have to have met Harper to know that they support our family, that they love her, that they're going to help us care for her right until the very end." The Burns family's story is a powerful reminder that behind every family we serve is a child who is deeply loved, a story that deserves to be told, and parents navigating circumstances no family should ever have to face alone. At Madelyn's Fund, we believe that no family should have to navigate the financial burden of losing a child while experiencing unimaginable grief. Through our funeral assistance program, we work directly with hospital social workers and funeral homes to ease that burden, allowing families to focus on what matters most: honoring their child and beginning the difficult journey of healing. "The fact that it was there was an incredible gift for our family." We are deeply grateful to Chris and Erin for their courage and vulnerability in sharing Harper's story and for allowing us to honor her memory. Harper's life mattered. Her story matters. And her legacy continues to remind us why this mission is so important. To learn more about Madelyn's Fund, support families like the Burns family, or get involved, visit: www.madelynsfund.org Follow Madelyn's Fund: Instagram: @madelynsfund Facebook: Madelyn's Fund