Whether it be through miscarriage, stillbirth, or child loss later in life, the pain of losing a child is one that runs deep. Unless you’ve experienced it yourself, it’s hard to fathom just how catastrophic child death can be for parents who lost their baby too soon.
The years may pass, but the sting of the pain — that emptiness— it remains.
Stacey Skrysak is one mama who knows that all too well. After losing her firstborn triplet at 22 weeks gestation, Stacey and her husband were absolutely devastated.
This picture is all that remains of her sweet daughter…
Facebook
“It may have been 5 years ago, but the memory of this fateful day will always be fresh in my mind,” Stacey wrote in a Facebook post.
But as she scrolled through her Instagram after sharing the picture, one comment, in particular, stabbed her STRAIGHT in the heart.
“I don’t understand how she can smile. It’s cruel!” wrote one senseless commenter.
Stacey couldn’t help but write a message to that woman that has now been read by thousands across the Internet. It’s sure to reorient your perspective on what a smile can mean AND just how little we have the right to judge the way people grieve.
Read Stacey’s powerful Facebook post below, and remember, sometimes it’s okay to smile through the tears:
“This picture. It’s all I have of my daughter who died. No videos, no precious pictures of her tiny feet or even a picture with her triplet siblings. Nope. This is all I have. I’m used to the criticism that comes with my career in television, but this one comment hurt me to the core. And as a parent of child loss, I feel the need to speak up in support of every parent who has lost a child, whether through miscarriage, stillbirth or child loss.