Letters of Love: 3, #3

By Melissa Desveaux

Nothing compares to the way a parent feels when their child dies. 

 

Grief is unavoidable, but hope and healing are offered here, found in the third installment of Letters of Love. 

 

This book contains a collection of letters written by 10 bereaved parents who understand the torment of loss. Each is heartfelt beyond words and shares a deep understanding of the love felt for every baby, just as deep as the love felt for the children by their side. 

 

Reading the messages to the babies who have gone too soon impacts how we as parents, relatives, and friends feel about the heartache this type of grief brings. Each letter here raises a new perspective on loss. Whether through miscarriage, termination for medical reasons, stillbirth, or infant loss, the sorrow a parent experiences is one only they can understand. But it is also one they don't have to face alone.

 

Following the first two #1 international bestselling Letters of Love books in the series, this compilation will be adored by families who have been through the unimaginable heartache the authors have also experienced and will aid in spreading awareness.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Melissa Desveaux
• Release date: Sep 16, 2023
• ISBN: 9780645447811

Book preview

Letters of Love

Written for Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness

Melissa Desveaux

TRIGGER WARNING

These letters are written by people who have experienced pregnancy and infant loss. This book contains sensitive images and stories that you may find confronting or upsetting.

© 2022 - Melissa Desveaux

Published in Australia by Melissa Desveaux

Print ISBN – 978-0-6454478-0-4

eBook ISBN -978-0-6454478-1-1

All rights reserved. This book contains material protected under international and Federal Copyright Laws and Treaties. Any unauthorized reprint or use of this material is prohibited. No part of this book/document may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means - electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording or otherwise, without written permission from the publisher.

All other photographs and written work are copyright to their respective owner & contributor to this book.

Eding - Jody E Freeman

Cover & interior design - Melissa Desveaux

[e-mail]

Melissadesveaux.com

Contents

Dedication

In Memory Of...

Epigraph of love

Reviews

Foreword

Introduction

Authors

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1.Dearest Melissa

2.A legacy letter

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Melissa Desveaux

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3.That Moment

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Angelica Fricot

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4.Jackson Owen Sawka

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Belinda Lee Owen

5.Dear Former Self

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6.Two Hundred and Sixty Weeks

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Sarah Pridham

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7.To my dear son, Matteo

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Spyce

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8.Letters to those Grieving

9.I Wonder

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Annmarie Vella

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10.My Eternal Flame

11.Here is my letter of love to you, Damien

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David Vine

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12.To My Unborn Children

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Zachary Shiloh Watts

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13.Dear Ellie

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Heidi Lynn Welsh

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14.To my little LB, my youngest son,

15.Dear Blake,

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Natasha White

Acknowledgements

Donations & Sponsorship

Resources

Get in Touch

Dedication

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To all the families who have faced the unimaginable heartache of pregnancy & infant loss;

Do not be afraid to share your baby’s name and their story… your story

Your baby is your precious, irreplaceable child, keep them in your heart always

Your feelings are valid

You don’t have to walk this journey alone…

In Memory Of...

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Desveaux Family

December 2007

Charlize Desveaux 27 June 2008 July 2009

September 2012

Bridget Makayla Fricot 1 May 2017

Baby Raindrop Fricot 2016

Matteo Isaac

Jasper Pridham 1 August 2017

Vella Family

Baby son and daughter

Mason John Vella 17 March 2006

26th February 2011

Aaron and Brendan Vella 29 August 2011

Damien Reuben Vine 18 January 1995

Ellie Madalyn Welsh 25 March 2017

Blake Raymond White 5 September 2017

Baby Angel C. 23 February 2022

Lucian Berkeley Adamcewicz 13 January 2022

Sebastian Alexander 26 September 2018

Ackaoui Family

Anthony 27 August 2015

3 little Ackaoui’s January-June 2016

Gianna 19 July 2019

Baby Boy 9 January 2020

June 2020

May 2021

Baby Boy

Sept 2021

Baby Girl

29 April 2022

Bella Grace Bowden 4 November 2009

Scarlett Claire Boothey 22 July 2016

Brewer Family

Twins March 2019

August 2018

October 2018

June 2018

April 2018

June 2017

December 2017

September 2017

May 2017

February 2017

May 2011

July 2011

December 2011

Jay Bradley 21 June 2000

Robert Edward Buckley 27 June 2011

Tad Buckley 3 January 2012

Amber Coussens 1 August 2014

Angel Claire Cardona 13 June 2003

Tyson David-Thomas Chugg 16 September 2015

Lola Be Clarke 31 May 2021

Everett Carleton 8 August 2018

River Sage Campbell 22 April 2021

Havana Daisy Campbell 1 November 2021

Landon Coussens 1 March 2016

Lachlan Daniel 1 July 2001 -18 August 2001

Charlotte Grace Ellio 12 May 2021

Harriet Grace Flanagan 1 November 2016

Noel Fauvette 25 December 1948

Jude Marlowe Gaskell 16 June 2017

Abdel Shuraim Malleck Hossen 28 October 2021

Anjelo Tueli Hafoka 21 January 2022

Khaleesi Victoria Harris13 October 2019 – 16 February 2021

Samuel Anthony Hinkley 1 January 2016 – 1 January 2016

Baby Ivancevic 31 October 2020

Xavier Rocket Imrie 31 January 2015

James Howard Ireton 3 January 2022

Maas Yanai and Mael Nasir Johnson 29 October 2014

Marni Sandra Johansen 26 April 2020

Tyler William Gregory Jenkins 7 June 2019

Alfie Kratovil 16 September 2013

Ashton Kendall 5 July 2007

Baby Kervin 13 January 1984

Kervin-Sarto Family

Matilda 26 September 2015

Angelo 29 January 2016

Bumble 22 August 2016

Muppet 5 May 2017

Bowe 26 September 2017

Iris July 2020

Rae Jan 2022

James Knight 10 September 1972

Lenny Karl - John Keusch 16 June 2018

Flynn Joshua Lacey 6 December 2021

Eva Joyce Mayberry 23 October 2015

Archie James McKay 18 April 2015

Jack Anthony McKay 1 February 2019

Ella Mills 12 June 2016

Emma Rose McCrohon 27 May 2016

Jonah Patrick McIntosh 23 March 2013

Hamish Andrew McIntosh 11 June 2017

Sam McCrohon 29 June 2021

Gabriel Mullany 29 December 2013

Hendrix Moran 17 October 2015

Hamish Joseph Matthews 10 September 2017

Byron Eriapa McMillan 16 May 2019

Pip February 2011

Asha Picke 1 March 2018

Audrey Isla Prater 8 October 2020

Carter Gabriel Por 14 June 2021 - 20 August 2021

Gabriella Anne Por 18 March 2013 - 22 March 2015

Emmanuella Piere 18 May 2015

Lilly Isabella Press 22 December 2016

Jaya Calypso Prasad 9 June, 2021

Maya Louise Reid 20 June 2019

Mia Evelyn Rosenthal 4 June 2017

Aiden Maxwell Russell 18th December 2003

Mallory Belle Suprock 26 August 2015

Poppy Stanton-Owen 8 July 2021

Finley Sadie Maria Stibal 24 April 2020

Baby Southan 17 February 2017

Sunny Purple Sosso 17 December 2021

Lani Tee Souris 4 May 2013

Jake Sadler 16 December 2006

Angelique Sadler 3 July 2007

Bodhi Finn Stiles 14 October 2016 – 13 February 2017

Talia Seren 6 October 2021

Ianahli Phoenix John Senate 18 October 2021

Salvatore Daniel 25 February 2020

Saverino Family

CM 21 December 2018

RJ 21 December 2018 18 July 2019

SD 25 February 2020

Lucia Ternel 3 May 1986

Sam Thelan 23 February 2006

Tickner Family

Chickpea December 2013

Chesnut May 2014

Cherab 7 October 2022

Twinkies

Charlotte Mary

Richard (RJ) Joseph 21 December 2018 – 18 July 2019

Ivar Ocean Williams 18 January 2022

Virginia Maree

Isla May Weekes 1 August 2015 – 2 August 2015

Jax - Li On Wing 4 December 2015

Destiny Pearl Wise

Mariaiva Zafiris 2 November 2013

Epigraph of love

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Bereaved Parents:

We are not weak, we are not strong,

We are merely learning how to exist in a world where our child no longer does.

Grief lasts as long as love lasts, and that is OK.

Author: Natasha White

Your baby's legacy lives on in your love for them, your love for others & your love for yourself.

Love & pain fused together. This is a mother’s bereaved heart.

By Angelica Fricot - The StillBORN Author

Behold I show you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye at the last trump.

1 Corinthians 15:51-52a

Tragedy and grief melted her armour.

Now she holds up hope of human kindness like a paper shield.

Lack of compassion, understanding and patience fall like rain.

Kade White - Insta: @poetrybykade

My Child Did Exist

I’ve lost a child, I hear myself say, And the person I’m talking to just turns away.

Now, why did I tell them, I don’t understand.

It wasn’t for sympathy or to get a helping hand.

I just want them to know I’ve lost something dear.

I want them to know that my child was here.

My child le something behind which no one can see. My child made just one person into a family.

So, if I’ve upset you, I’m sorry as can be.

You’ll have to forgive me, I could not resist.

I just want you to know that my child did exist

Author Unknown

When you’re feeling sad or a little blue, look around and you’ll see I’m here with you. I’m the bird who soars so high above. I’m the one who filled your heart with love.

Author Unknown

Reviews

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A wholehearted letter that resonates with my own story and that of many mothers. It brings back the memories of sadness

but also reminds me of the strength I found in those moments. Melissa, thank you for sharing your words.

Liz Marn, Behaviour Analyst

Such a raw, beautiful & uplifting letter written for sweet Ellie

Madalyn. I really felt the heart & raw emotions reading such a gorgeous memory. I cried, I felt warmth, I felt love & I felt

intuition in this one very special letter to a beautiful little soul

gone before her me. Thank you to Ellie's parents for allowing

me to read about such a significant me in your lives. My love to you & to all bereaved parents.

Martina Vassallo

In her reflective and deeply insightful letter Dear Former Self,

Sarah reveals the multi dimensional nature of grief. The indescribable agony and anguish following the loss of her son, Jasper, mirrors the agony and anguish of the loss of herself.

There is a powerful sense of the passing of all Sarah knew, believed and thought about life and a gradual and daily struggle to begin to know who she will become. Her love for Jasper and the grief of his death unbreakably entwined and coexisting for the rest of her life journey.

Liz Phillips

Belinda’s letter to her beautiful son Jackson, warmed my heart and brought a tear to my eye. I could feel the love Belinda has for all of her children. A beautiful and emotional read. Thank you for sharing your journey to us all.

Rebecca Riggio, Hair Stylist

What a powerful letter. I love her spiritual and emotional connexon to Bridget - a mother's love knows no bounds, and

this articulates