TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month is in October, with Oct. 15 designated as Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day.
It is a time to raise awareness and support families affected by miscarriage, stillbirth, ectopic pregnancy, and other causes of infant death.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), miscarriage is the most common reason for losing a baby during pregnancy and every year, nearly 2 million babies are stillborn.
The Wave of Light, a luminary-lighting ceremony, is held annually worldwide to honor those babies that lost their lives too soon and for families to be able to come together, grieve and celebrate their child's life.
The event in Tucson is led by Becky Heral, neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) nurse, making sure no baby is forgotten.
“It all started with two candles in our driveway 15 years ago, just to support my brother and my friend because I didn’t know what to do, I didn’t what to say for them and I wanted to show them that I was always going to remember Peyton and Harrison," Heral said. "And this is just a way to show that we think about them all the time."
The ceremony took place on the front lawn of Banner University Medical Center, 1501 N. Campbell Ave from 7-8 p.m.
Each light was placed in a bag, one by one, illuminating a name that will never be forgotten.
In 2024, about 1,100 luminaries were lit. This year, that number unfortunately increased to 1,500.
Each luminary decorated bag has the name of a baby that has passed away.
Heral says this event is to also make people feel comfortable talking about loss.
“To get people to say your baby’s name, to get people to show support without coming to you and saying what can I do for you? This is something people can do for you to always remember," Heral continued.
Sabrina Galpin lost her daughter Topanga Danielle at just 12 weeks.
“She was our second baby. It was Christmas of '99 and we went in for our test scan and they noticed they couldn’t find the heartbeat. So they sent us in for an ultrasound and found that she had passed," Galpin explained. "She unfortunately just stopped developing in about 10 to 12 weeks."
Galpin says you never get over the loss, but talking about it makes it easier — and how the Wave of Light is a safe space to mourn with other families who experienced the same thing.
“It really means a lot to us to know that despite the fact that these babies are not with us, everybody can remember them, everybody can look at their names, just think about who this baby would’ve been," Galpin said.
Galpin and her family, along with many others, gathered around their loved one’s luminary, shared memories and left kisses.
Vicki and Tom Parker attended the Wave of Light to honor their firstborn son Timber Wolffe, who died in 1978.
"So 47 years ago, and it’s still heartbreaking. We feel the pain, the emptiness today that we always have, and events like this are so meaningful," Vicki said.
Tom says seeing families come together is a beautiful thing.
“It’s very inspirational to know that you’re not alone and things like this can be shared and it can be a happy moment," Tom said.
Vicki also adds that it helps to talk about Timber Wolffe, who only lived for a week.
"We celebrate his birthday every year, and our family is here. We have other family coming and they never knew him of course, but these are all of our grandchildren, yet they honor him and all lost children the same as we do," Vicki said. "There are so many angels."
Losing a child is an incredibly painful experience, but you don't have to go through it alone. Grief support groups are available to help you find comfort and connection.
You can also email Becky at rebeccaheral@gmail.com, who is happy to help as well.
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Vanessa Gongora is KGUN 9's Westside reporter.. Vanessa fell in love with storytelling by growing up in sports. She was fascinated by how sports reporters go beyond the x's & o's to tell players' stories, and how sports bring people together, inspiring Vanessa to provide the same impact as a journalist. Share your story ideas and important issues with Vanessa by emailing vanessa.gongora@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, Instagram, and X.
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