Board of Directors

Leslie Rutherford
President

The Rutherford’s lost their baby girl in the Fall of 2007 when Leslie was 35 weeks along. Leslie’s pregnancy had been progressing normally, although like most expectant mothers, she was a bit uncomfortable. During the first few months, Leslie felt sick to her stomach and was also admitted to the ER with a migraine headache. In the last trimester, Leslie was feeling better and had several normal appointments with her doctor. She and her family were getting everything ready for the baby when the unimaginable happened. On a calm October evening, Leslie stood up from the couch to take her 4-year-old son, Jack, to bed and she felt a gush of blood.

Allen, her husband, rushed her to the hospital where the doctors confirmed the worst. There was no heartbeat; their baby was gone. While trying to decide whether or not to go through with a VBAC, Leslie’s bleeding became profuse and the doctor’s hurried her into surgery.

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SuzAnne Cortright
Vice President
Director of Volunteer Services

As I begin my story I want to send my heartfelt sympathy to you for the loss of your precious loved one. I was expecting my third child with great joy and anticipation, knowing she would change my life, believing it would all be wonderful.

My beautiful daughter, Lacey Rose, was born silently into God’s hands on August 27, 2004. We had an ultrasound at 25 weeks when we learned that her kidneys were not functioning properly and because of this, my amniotic fluid was extremely low, creating more problems. With the knowledge that she was not well, I continued to carry her for another 5 weeks. I prayed that the doctors were wrong and that she would be healthy.

Unfortunately this was not the case and I began the journey of my grief walk. I had no idea of how my heart would break. I learned that my world would never be the same. I was provided comfort through my faith, family, friends and the amazing people that were brought into my life as we walked this road together.

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Amy Lugowski
Treasurer
2008 Walk Director

Amy Lugowski first participated with her husband, Craig, in the 2007 A Walk to Remember, after the loss of their twin boys Aiden and Benjamin to TTTS in February of that year. Amy and Craig were introduced to the foundation, as many are, at the hospital during delivery of their twins. A care package with materials to assist with the grieving process was delivered to them by a nurse. It was because of these materials and the people involved in putting them together that Amy became involved in A Walk to Remember.

"Knowing what so many families go through with the loss of a baby(ies), it was imperative that she give back to the community through the education of grief resources, care packages and by the annual walk fundraiser and memorial."



Denise Tiberi
Secretary

Grandmother of lost infant girl would like to help as much as possible and be available to listen and provide comfort wherever needed



Brandi Bradley
Director of Media and Public Relations

My name is Brandi Bradley and I just turned 33 years old. I have been married for almost ten years and knew that I wanted to wait to have children until I completed Physical Therapy school. Most of my friends and family got pregnant at the drop of a hat, so I just assumed that when I was ready I wouldn’t have any problems! Much to my surprise I would have to wait almost four long years and endure things I never thought possible. Jay and I struggled with infertility for four years before deciding to go through with in vitro. I never realized how difficult the unexplained infertility struggle was-until I was in the midst of it! I wanted desperately to have some sort of diagnosis, so I could understand why it was so hard for me to get pregnant. The day I decided to do the cycle, I was nervous, scared and anxious. Again wondering why I was having to go through something like this when there were so many people that were pregnant that didn’t want children. That was just the beginning of the “life is so unfair comments.” If only I had known what was in store for me, I would have wanted those days back.

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Jill Breheny
Co-Director of Education Services

I am passionate about helping with the Walk to Remember because I know how healing and important this walk has been for my family. "You must do the thing you think you cannot do." Eleanor Roosevelt This quote has touched me on so many levels during my journey with grief. When I was told that my baby had no heartbeat and yet, I had to somehow move through the physically grueling task of labor and delivery, my mind could not connect how I would survive this birthing process. During that birth, I literally lost my old self and many of my old assumptions and beliefs. I did not know then how many lessons my sweet baby would teach me even though he never uttered a sound on this earth. Later, as I sat in a grief group with parents who had all lost their babies, the spark of hope that I felt was from watching the faces of the three incredible facilitators who had survived the loss of their baby and they were now gracefully and lovingly helping us to walk the path none of us could have ever imagined. It was the example of these first three grief facilitators who gave me hope in the midst of my all-consuming grief. I will forever be grateful to Steve Fisher, Caprice Bass and Natalie Wurzer for showing me how to honor my loss and my baby by walking with others during their grief.

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Jen Mayes
Co-Director of Bereavement Care Services

Jen Mayes joined the Walk to Remember team to make a difference for bereaved families of the future. Jen and her husband Brian lost their only child, Grace Addison as a result of complications due to HELLP Syndrome. Their daughter Grace was stillborn on November 11, 2006.

At the time of their loss, Jen and Brian experienced an amazing outpouring of support from their care providers. The hospital staff had volumes of information about local groups, memento making, ideas for keepsakes, and said all the right things. In the time since Grace’s death, Jen and Brian have learned just how singular their experience was. Families who lose a baby are not always given so much information and support at the time when they need the most.

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Jill McDaniel
Co-Director of Bereavement Care Services

Jill McDaniel joined the Walk to Remember to help build a network where all area hospitals are prepared with bereavement care packages for families who are facing this most devastating loss. In 2006, Jill and her husband Justin moved back to their native Colorado to be closer to family and focus on starting their own family. Jill quit her high school science teaching job in Arizona and Justin found an engineering job in the Denver area. After their first round of in-vitro, Jill was pregnant with twins, a girl and boy. However, on December 2, 2007, their only children JL and JL were born prematurely.

As a result of their own experience, Jill is especially passionate about the bereavement care packages the hospitals will receive from the fundraising of the Walk to Remember. Jill and Justin were able to hold their little girl and boy, take pictures and create some lasting memories because of the guidance of their hospital staff and bereavement counselor. In their darkest hour, they were able to choose clothes, hats, and blankets for their twins. They received a journal, camera, grief support resources, and books that helped them cope with the devastating loss of their children. "We felt completely lost, alone and empty. The bereavement package and support resources truly made a difference in our lives. If someone else has to go through this horrible nightmare, then I want them to have the support we did."


Stacy Merkel
Director of Bereavement Support Services


Steve Merkel
Director of Technology

In March 2005, after 7 years of trying to conceive, Stacy and Steve Merkel were blessed with a twin pregnancy. Steve remembers, "We were expecting fraternal twin boys and were overjoyed at the thought of finally sharing our life with children." It was a stressful pregnancy, but even after experiencing several twin pregnancy complications, both boys were healthy. Stacy delivered, via emergency c-section, at 36 weeks due to fetal distress of Twin A. They lost their son Jackson, November 4th, 2005, at 5 days old due to complications from an undiagnosed infection that both boys contracted in utero. Their other twin son Bowen had a short stay in the NICU, and is now a thriving 2 year old. Stacy reflects "Each and every day, I am overcome by both happiness and grief at Bowen’s milestones and accomplishments, knowing that Jack should be there right along with him. As Bowen grows up without his twin brother I am driven to remember Jackson and to honor my twin sons in every way I can."

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Corinne O'Flynn
Co-Director of Education Services

Corinne O’Flynn joined the Walk to Remember team to be a part of continuing something special. "Some of the most powerful experiences I have had since we lost our daughter have been in connecting with other bereaved parents. While the sadness of the shared loss is undeniable, there is an incredible amount of hope to be found when so many people gather to remember our children."

Corinne and Mike lost their daughter Rowan in December of 1999. Their first child, Rowan was born with full Trisomy 18, and lived for 22 short hours. Since that time, Corinne has founded the Rowan Tree Foundation, a nonprofit with a mission to provide support and resources to families after the death of a child. In December 2007, Rowan Tree Foundation erected a child loss memorial for the public. Continuing with Corinne’s belief in the power of connection, the statue is the site of annual remembrance events which have brought many people together to remember, grieve, share, and heal.

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