May 29th, 2017 was the day our son, our second child, was supposed to be born. That is not what happened. 

Austin Patrick Lambdin was born on Thursday, May 19th at 8:22am, 7lbs and 6oz with a head full of red hair. He was perfect and beautiful, but he did not cry and his heart did not beat. A checkup on the 15th told us we should expect a healthy baby. A subsequent checkup on the 18th broke our hearts. 

Nobody should know the grief of losing a child. Nobody! 

In the days since losing Austin, we have tried to understand why but there are no answers. There is only pain. One in 160 pregnancies end in stillbirth in the United States. This is ten times the rate of SIDS! We had no idea that we could come this far and not cross the finish line. We had no idea it was this common.

Megan and I don’t understand why our son is not with us. Our daughter, Delaney, doesn’t understand why her little brother isn’t here. 

Now, we need your help! We have established a memorial fund in Austin’s name. Our goal is to raise awareness and to make a contribution to CJ First Candle. They’re focused on reducing the rate of SIDS, SUID and Stillbirth, as well as providing bereavement support to families in need. 

We hope that you will contribute. Even a little could make a difference. Also, we ask that you share this story. Over 23,000 stillbirths a year are reported in the US. This epidemic deserves more attention, more conversation and more support. We feel this is the best way to honor Austin’s memory. 

Cherish your family and the time you have with them. 

Thank you for taking the time to read our story. Thank you for whatever you can contribute. Thank you for sharing this with others. 

Sincerely, 
BJ & Megan Lambdin