“My name is Jose Torres, and I am a husband and father who has experienced the unimaginable loss of a newborn child. Like many families who face this kind of tragedy, my wife and I have been navigating grief in our own ways while continuing to care for our young son and support each other as best we can. When my wife was invited to attend a retreat for mothers who have lost their newborns, I didn’t know exactly what to expect—but I knew that if it could help her even a little, it was worth it. What followed became a meaningful moment in our healing journey and something I will always be grateful for.

In the days leading up to the retreat for mothers who have lost their newborns, I didn’t know what to expect. Just the fact that my wife agreed to participate already felt like a small victory. I knew how difficult the experience of losing our child had been for her, and for both of us.

On the day of the retreat, she attended while I stayed home with our three-year-old son. I felt nervous, but also deeply grateful that she had been invited to something meant to support mothers who had gone through what she had experienced.

I made a conscious effort not to interrupt her day. At one point she called to check in on us, and I asked how things were going. She simply said it was going well, but the tone of her voice told me more than the words themselves. She sounded calm, grounded—almost as if she was exactly where she was meant to be in that moment.

Later in the evening she checked in again and said she would be home around 10 p.m. When she arrived, we sat and talked about her day. She shared how meaningful the session had been and how much she appreciated being there. Hearing that brought me a sense of relief and happiness. It felt like she was finally able to release emotions she had been carrying for a long time.

The group of women she spent the day with truly understood her. They supported one another in a way that only people who have lived through that kind of loss can. Seeing my wife in that state of mind—supported, understood, and lighter—meant everything.

Losing a child has been the hardest thing I have ever experienced as a father. And while I know my pain is real, the pain a mother carries after losing a child is something deeper that I can only try to understand.

That’s why I am grateful we found Aja and her support group. Experiences like this remind me that sometimes the only people who can truly help are those who have walked the same path.”