Brotherly Love: A Day With Chase
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A Philadelphia mom and dad who lost their son only 5 months into a pregnancy want to help grieving parents make the memories they can, while they can.
Kristin and Chris Blouch sit surrounded by photos of their children, including their son Chase, who died in 2015.
"We had no idea what stillbirth was before losing Chase," said Kristin.
They had only a few hours to hold him, to let his brother and sister meet him. Dad wanted to read Chase a bedtime story.
"Smartphone. I'll pull something up on there," Chris remembers thinking. But he couldn't find any complete children's books.
Kristin said, "There were so many nights when I would close my eyes and just picture Chris scrolling and looking frantically for a book to read to Chase, and knowing that he'd never be able to do that again."
Kristin and Chris decided they didn't want any other family to miss out on a moment like that. So they started a foundation called A Day with Chase and created Making Memories Boxes for families who have just lost a baby. Inside are things like baby wash, a disposable camera, a book, a letter from Kristin and Chris.
One of the first moms to get a Making Memories Box was Emily McNicholas of Northeast Philadelphia. She lost her son Little Peter in 2015.
"To have those items, to be able to spend time with him before we had to let him go, was extremely comforting," Emily said.
Emily and her baby Colin joined Kristin and Chris recently at the blessing of a new room at Holy Redeemer Hospital for parents dealing with infant loss. Of course, Kristin and Chris donated books in honor of Chase.
"Chase's purpose was bigger than we could have ever imagined," Kristin said.
So far, Kristin and Chris have distributed about 50 boxes to area hospitals.
Click here to visit their Facebook page.
