Local Mother Turns Grief Into Support for Families Facing Child Loss

ZANESVILLE, OH – October is infant and child loss awareness month and one local mother is hosting a night for the community to show they are never alone.

On Saturday, October 10th from 1PM until 6PM at the Newton Township Fire Department there will be an event highlighting and honoring the young lives gone way too soon.

Meagan Duff, the Organizer of the event and Advocate, says her driving force for creating this event for other mothers and families is in honor of her son Braxton.

“This event is not just for people who have lost a child or an infant, or a miscarriage, however they want to put it, this is also for people to come stand with us too.” Duff said. “If you haven’t lost a child, come stand with us, not acknowledging because you will never fully understand what we have gone through. But to know that we’re not alone, because I have dealt with this for 10 years now. I left that hospital room with nothing, I left with broken dreams, shattered, everything, and I was told, here you go! Here’s the world, now live by yourself.”

There will be guest speakers, vendors, food, as well as a DJ playing soft tunes in memory of loved ones.

There will also be goodie bags for kiddos, moms, and a chance to write your child’s name on a butterfly to be placed on a memorial wall.

David Hitchcock, a supporter of Megan’s, says he’s happy there will be a space for other mothers to share their battles with grief and show that they don’t have to go through any of this by themselves.

“She continued to stay silent, stay silent, stay silent.” Hitchcock said. “Every year at this time of year, she tries to push me away, push everybody away, and it’s just time to do something else with it.”

For more information on the event you can head to the Facebook event page.