Growing up, Thomas and I both had a love for golf. It was at my uncle’s driving range where we first met in 2005 when we were in high school and quickly became friends. And, as the story goes, our friendship eventually grew into something more.

We were married in February of 2015. ​The following year our home expanded by four paws when our Golden Retriever son, Cal, captured our hearts. Next up for us was starting the family we both knew we always wanted to have. So, four years after getting married, we were expecting our first child. From the moment we found out we were pregnant, we knew we were naming our son or daughter Carter - my mom’s maiden name. In March of 2019, we learned we were having a little boy! Carter was scheduled to be brought into the world on July 31, 2019. Unfortunately, he did not make it to that date. At 3:07 p.m. on June 25, at 34 weeks, Carter Thomas was born still. Born still. Never in a million years did we ever imagine these two words would be the words we would be using to describe what was to be the happiest time in our life. It was at that moment, our lives changed forever. Numbness and devastation consumed us. We spent the next several days surrounded by family and special friends as we held, kissed, cradled and loved on our sweet, sweet son. We created precious little hand and foot prints so we could have them to look at forever. We took photos that we will forever treasure for as long as we both live. We told him over and over again just how much we loved him and how he will never ever be forgotten. Those days, while I wouldn’t trade them for the world, will never be enough. It was in those days we promised Carter we would keep his memory alive.

In the weeks and months that followed the loss of our son, we had numerous people reaching out to us showing their care and support. We began to see the good in the world again. It was then we knew we wanted to help future loss families. We cherish the keepsakes we have of our Carter, and we knew we wanted to provide families with something that would serve as a memory of their child gone too soon. After numerous discussions, we decided to provide loss parents with a blanket. This is how Carter's Comfort was born.

First thing first…I had to learn to sew. Thomas began working on the business aspect, and I began teaching myself this new skill. It is important to both of us that each and every blanket is handmade. There is a little bit of Carter in everything we do, including these blankets. Our plan is to distribute our Carter’s Comfort blankets to hospitals and physician offices to provide comfort to grieving parents during the most difficult time in their lives. Our blankets are not just for babies born still, but for all babies who pass away after birth. We will also send blankets to parents upon request. We hope parents will wrap their child up in our blanket and take the blanket home with them as a very special item of remembrance, something to hold throughout their grief and a treasure to keep forever.

While our lives will never be the same and our family will never be complete, we are so lucky and blessed to be Carter's mom and dad. We are thankful for all of the love and support we have been given from family, friends and even strangers. It is important to us to keep not only Carter's memory alive, but all of the babies gone too soon.

Mommy and Daddy love you more, Carter.

~Thomas and Megan Leidy