Everything That Isn't There By Hunt Mercier
In 2023, my wife and I were expecting our first son, Guy. From the beginning, we knew our time with him would be brief. He never developed the organs he needed to live outside the womb, but his heartbeat carried our hope until the very end. We didn’t let what happened with Guy discourage us from trying again. Later that year, we got pregnant again, this time with Leo.
Our second son, Leo, grew strong and stubborn in his own way. My wife was on bed rest for months, leaking amniotic fluid but refusing to give up. She made it to 34 weeks, and every day felt like a small miracle. Even with everything we gave up to make it that far, Leo’s lungs didn’t fully develop, and his time here was too short.
But his presence has forever changed us.
Grief doesn’t leave, it changes form. Some days it’s a weight, and other days it’s a whisper. Losing two sons has taught us more about love than we ever wanted to know. It’s taught us to listen to silence, to be gentle with one another, and to find beauty in endurance.
We stay connected to our boys through small things: remembering to celebrate the little things, a song that feels like them, the garden my wife tends each spring, the hummingbirds that come to visit, and the ashes I carry around my neck.
I share our story because silence can make grief feel heavier. Maybe someone out there needs to know they’re not alone in it.
I want to honor our boys by continuing to create through my work, my art, and the way I show up in the world. Their brief lives made me see how fragile and luminous every moment is. That’s what I carry with me now. My website is linked below to learn more.
You can help make sure no one walks this path alone.
Pregnancy and infant loss is a deeply personal grief, often isolating those who are mourning. At RTZ Hope, we walk alongside bereaved parents, offering compassionate support, meaningful resources, and a community that understands. Your donation helps us continue this vital work—ensuring that families facing unimaginable loss don’t have to do it alone.
Will you join us in offering hope and healing?
With your support in 2024 (Annual Report) RTZ Hope continued to fulfill our mission of serving bereaved parents and the healthcare providers who support them through a variety of free and reduced fee programs and offerings.
Support Programs
At RTZ Hope, we walk alongside parents in their darkest moments, offering a lifeline of compassion, understanding, and hope. Since 2020, our virtual services have provided over 1,500 families with guidance when life feels out of control and every step feels impossible. Since 2014, our in-person retreats have held space for over 400 women, creating sacred moments of connection and healing in the wake of profound loss. In 2024 we supported more than 600 bereaved parents and provided $7000 in support scholarships.
Provider Education
Provider interactions during pregnancy and infant loss have a lifelong impact on a family’s healing and wellbeing. We partner with health professionals to ensure they have the training, emotional support, and resources they need to confidently care for families at one of the most tragic moments of their journey towards parenthood. In 2024 we led 28 training and education events and reached over 5000 perinatal loss providers.
