Couple remember stillborn daughter with heartbreaking photoshoot

These extremely emotional images have been captured to help one grieving family honour the memory of their stillborn daughter

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by Kayleigh Dray |
Published on

When photographer Lindsey Villatoro received an email from a woman looking to help her friend who was about to give birth to a stillborn daughter via C-section, she knew that she had to help.

READ: HOW TO DEAL WITH GRIEF AND SEPARATION

"Given the circumstances, you only have a very short window to truly capture these forever moments," Villatoro wrote on her Facebook page with permission from the family.

"I rushed out of the store I was in and called this woman. When this mother answered the phone she could barley [sic] speak. She knew I was calling which I'm sure was the only reason why she answered the phone.

"She was short of breath, crying uncontrollably between her words and could barely even speak."

READ: INSPIRATIONAL QUOTES ON DEALING WITH GRIEF

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When she arrived at the hospital, she was met with total devastation - but Lindsey, who photographs about 15 to 20 tragic terminal cases a month, was able to offer support.

"I grabbed mom's hand and I told her this was quite literally the worst thing that could ever happen to a mother but together we were going to get through this.

"I also told them that there was NO right way to handle this. If they wanted to freak out on me, throw something, cry, yell...whatever, it was absolutely OK."

READ: 50 INSPIRATIONAL LIFE LESSONS TO SHARE WITH THE IMPORTANT PEOPLE IN YOUR LIFE

At the mother's request, she accompanied the couple into the operating room.

Via Lovesong Photography

"At 7:52am I looked at that clock and sweet baby Monroe Faith Staley was born," she wrote.

"I was the first to see her. My eyes quickly filled with tears as I pulled my mask down, looked over to mom and dad and said, 'SHE IS PERFECT.'

"As mom pleaded for her baby to wake up, her sweet husband brushed her hair with his hands crying with her.

"Cheek to cheek, clinging to their baby girl in disbelief; the two of them were pillars for each other."

Via Lovesong Photography

She added: "Any image that came to mind, I shot. I wanted this family to have every possible memory of this child I could physically give them."

She posted her photographs with permission from the mother, 26-year-old Emily, and the father, 29-year-old Richard.

Via Lovesong Photography

We hope that these beautiful photos provide a source of comfort to both Emily and Richard.

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