SARAH & LEE

Grafton Sayr was born on March 26, 2007 weighing in at 8lbs 4oz and 21.5 inches long. He was full-term and covered with jet black hair. We had an uneventful pregnancy and were looking forward to meeting our new little bundle. Grafton was born at 3:36pm in a birthing center, and by 4:00pm he had been rushed to Concord Hospital by ambulance and placed on a ventilator. He was not able to breath on his own. They informed us that Grafton was going to be air-lifted to Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center.
 
We arrived at Dartmouth Hitchcock later that evening, and were greeted by the most amazing team of doctors, nurses and respitory therapists. Grafton was still on the ventilator and had made little improvement since he left Concord. We met with the Chief Neonatologist shortly after our arrival and learned that Grafton had what they believed to be brain damage. He had no reflexes, tone and had made no movement or sound.
 
Grafton was scheduled for numorous tests over the next couple of days to determine the extent of his injuries. The tests confirmed our belief that he had global brain damage and that he would not survive on his own. We made the decision, when he was two days old, that we would remove him from the ventilator on the third day. But first, we wanted our family and friends to share in our joy of becoming mothers. We wanted people to know the little boy we would be talking about for the rest of our lives; love him as he was, and share his story. So, on the second day of his life, we introduced him to more than forty members of our family and friends. They got to hold his hand, stroke his back, kiss him and see first hand how much hair he really had. We were the proudest parents in the world that day.
 
Grafton passed shortly after he was removed from the vent as we held him in our arms. We sang to him, told him how much we loved him, and thanked him for choosing us. We were surrounded by the people who had taken care of our little boy for the last three days as if he were there own child. They cried with us, held us and reassured us that we will forever be his moms. Grafton gave us all a gift when he was born. He helped us see that each and every child born has something to give regardless of what they can and cannot do. He reminded us that life is precious and sometimes you only get one chance to do the right thing. He gave us unconditional love.
 
And so, in honor of Grafton, we are doing this walk. Our hope is to pass on the joy Grafton has brought to our lives by helping a child receive his or her wish.

Left to Right: Grafton w/ Lee, Grafton at Dartmouth Hitchcock, Grafton w/ Sarah & Lee