For families whose babies are lost in pregnancy or soon after birth, the tiny gowns stitched from old wedding dresses can provide dignity and a sense of normalcy. They are a gift of love and remembrance to those who have experienced a loss that will never be forgotten.
Every year, more than 626,000 pregnancies end in stillbirth or miscarriage. That means that one baby is born dead each minute. And while there are no easy answers for the heartbreaking losses, the compassionate volunteers behind an organization called Angel Gowns of WNY are doing what they can to ease the pain. The organization received 501(c)(3) non-profit incorporation in 2014 and is now able to accept donations of wedding dresses, fabric, ribbons and other embellishments as well as monetary gifts.
The founder of the group, Missy Powell, is a seamstress and a nurse, and has been working on these gowns for more than four years. “I think it’s so important to honor those babies who didn’t get to come home,” she said. “They are no less special than the ones who did.”
She and her husband, a former police officer, have two children of their own and also volunteer to make the gowns. The nonprofit is a labor of love for the pair, and they spend more than 20 hours each week sewing. The Angel Gowns of WNY are donated to hospitals and other locations where grieving parents can receive them for their little ones, either as a gift or for their memorial services.
“It’s an incredible emotional process,” Powell says. “But it’s something I want to do for as long as I can.” Powell is not alone in her passion. Many people across the nation and around the world are stepping up to help those who have suffered loss. The story of one of these angels is the focus of this week’s CommUNITY Champion feature on WESH 2.
Tess Soholt of Golden Valley, Minn., recently retired as a labor and delivery nurse after 46 years in the field. She always remembered the joy of welcoming newborns into the world, but she never forgot the devastation that befell parents whose children died in utero or shortly after birth.
After a family tragedy, Soholt was inspired to repurpose a vintage wedding dress to create an angel gown for a life that would never be. The result is Andrew’s Angel Gowns, named after the grandson who Soholt never got to meet.
Soholt has a closet full of these beautiful, handmade gowns. But she needs more dresses, and she’s asking the public for their support. She’s hoping to raise $2,000 to buy more fabric and pay for shipping costs. Mountain America Credit Union is supporting her efforts with a $500 grant, and other local organizations have donated as well. The dresses must be white and have lace. Soholt is also looking for more sewing volunteers, especially those who can work with a machine.