Angel Hugs

I am so inspired by all of these angel moms that do so much to give back to their community and grieving families. I wanted to spotlight a non-profit organization called Angel Hugs. This angel mom, Katy, started making blankets for other families that are grieving the loss of an infant and delivers them to local (Virgina, Washington D.C. & Utah) Hospitals.

You can read Katy's story below.

Chris and I were ecstatic to learn we were going to have a baby. We had wanted a baby for a long time and were thrilled to learn we were going to have a baby in May.

Everything in the pregnancy was going great and we were getting excited to go to our 20 week appointment and ultrasound to find out what we were having and to see our baby on the screen.

During the ultrasound, we found out we were having a girl. We also learned that there were some serious health problems with our little girl. After weeks of meeting with doctors, specialists and undergoing tests, we have learned that our little Abigail has Trisomy 13, a rare syndrome that occurs in 1 out of 10,000 births.

After much prayer and contemplation, we decided to move home to Utah were we could be surrounded by our family and work with doctors who valued our baby's life as much as we did.

There were many unknowns ahead of us, but we decided that we would start making memories with Abigail and enjoying the time we had with her. We took her to the park, the zoo, rode on the merry-go-round, ate hot-fudge sundaes, sung primary songs, read her children's books and loved her every minute. While this journey had it heartbreaks, it also had incredible joy. Abigail was born alive at 38 1/2 weeks and we held her in our arms for 14 hours. While this wasn't the journey we would have planned with our daughter, we would do it all over again. Loving and having our daughter is the greatest thing we have ever done. We feel we now know the true meaning of love. We trust this is part of God's plan and we know that we will see her again.

Information about Angel Hugs taken directly from their website.

About Angel HUGS

Angel HUGS is a non-profit organization, established in 2009 in memory of Abigail Mitarai. Abigail was born April 28, 2009 with Trisomy 13, a rare genetic disorder, and lived for a miraculous fourteen hours. Abigail was surrounded by family and friends her entire life and knew only love.

Ilse Baldwin, a family friend, crocheted a small white blanket to wrap Abigail in during her short stay on earth. With Abigail’s sweet fragrance lingering on the blanket, it quickly became a treasure heirloom to her parents, with memories of the day their tiny baby was wrapped so lovingly in the silky soft blanket.

Ilse made special blankets for her grandchildren, and found that sharing a beautiful blanket with Abigail and her family gave her a feeling of peace knowing she gave a small amount of comfort to a grieving family. Angel HUGS gives Abigail’s family something physical to hold now that Abigail is gone.

What Does Angel HUGS Do?

We hand crochet, knit and sew beautiful blankets for special babies like Abigail who come to this world for only a short time. Many babies are born and die every day at our local hospitals. In most cases, their deaths are unexpected and the families are not prepared for the birth or the death of these precious little angels. Angels HUGS blankets allow parents to hold their little angel in a beautiful hand-made blanket. The blankets are donated to participating hospitals around the country.

Examples of the sweet baby blanket that they make. Aren't they adorable?

Why Do We Do This?

Angel HUGS blankets will go to babies who do not have their own blankets and allow parents to have a special keepsake (often their only one). Creating these special blankets is a very rewarding experience. For families, receiving a blanket made with love for their precious baby brings comfort.

These blankets are treasured by families of these little angels. Many Angel HUGS blankets are created by parents who have lost a child or by friend or family members to show their support for a lost child.

Our GOAL

Our goal is to ensure that newborns who enter this world for only a short time will have a special Angel HUGS blanket. These babies are angels. Many are not recognized by the world because of their short time on earth, but to their parents they will never be forgotten.

How Can I Help?

• Donate money to help pay for supplies, overnight deliveries when necessary, packaging and Dreft detergent so each blanket will be freshly laundered just prior to delivery
• Make a blanket/s to donate to participating hospitals through Angel HUGS.
• Share the Angel HUGS vision with friends and family who may wish to help

Babies come in all sizes and so do Angel HUGS blankets. They are made for babies who weigh as little as 6 oz. and are as large as 10 lbs. Each blanket must be freshly laundered with Dreft laundry detergent, have finished edges and they always include a small angel pin. Our blankets are individually packaged along with a letter from Abigail’s parents.

MAKING A BLANKET

• Crocheting or knitting a blanket – we have found that Barnet Baby Soft yarn is the best for these blankets. Any pattern works as long as there are finished edges. These blankets should be in baby blue, baby pink or white.
• Sewn blankets are best made out of high-quality flannel. All sewn blankets should have a finished edge, either with flannel or a crocheted edge. The blanket material should be in baby appropriate patterns and colors.
• Sizes range from 10×10 to 36×36 Please feel free to make your blanket in any size between.
• When you are finished with your blanket, please contact Katy Mitarai at katymitarai@gmail.com or 202-258-5953 to arrange delivery of your blanket to a participating hospital

Thank you!

Please stop by Angel Hugs and leave a comment for Katy or make a donation !