In early 2020, we were eagerly expecting the birth of our second son, and at 12 weeks we learned that our little boy had Trisomy 13, a severe chromosomal abnormality which meant that even if he defied the odds and made it to term, he would likely only survive hours or days. God met us in those days, weeks and months of grief and has carried us every step of the way the past three years. And even through our moments of despair, God granted us surreal moments of beauty and joy in getting to meet, hold and love on our son, Ben.

Ben was born on September 19th, and lived for almost 6 full days before God called him home. His time here has given us a new perspective on life, including how precious and fragile it is. We could not have walked this journey alone. Along with our Almighty Father and our dear family and friends, we were showered with love and support by an amazing organization called Abel Speaks.

Abel Speaks connects with expecting families who have received a life-limiting diagnosis for their baby and blesses them with endless resources to honor these tiny, precious lives. We will never forget how our Abel Speaks family supported us through Ben’s journey. As their motto goes, support changes stories. For more on our story and the organization, visit: https://abelspeaks.org/ben-jansen/

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for joining us to remember Ben and support other families walking this journey through Abel Speaks. We are so grateful for you to be a part of Ben’s story!