On January 15, 2019, at 10:40 a.m., my daughter, Primrose Maeve, came into the world a bright-eyed, long-haired little girl who completed our family. Her two elder brothers, Kristian and Gabriel, were excited to welcome a baby sister at last My pregnancy had been mostly normal, except for discovering late on that she was breech. After a failed attempt to turn her, I faced my fear of surgery and chose a planned C-section for her safety.
Her birth was perfect. She was calm, loved her sleep, and rarely cried. We adjusted to life as a family of five. At the age of three months,
I noticed she wasn’t eating more or gaining weight. Tests showed nothing wrong—she was “just small.” By eight months, she caught up, hitting milestones, eating well, and charming everyone with her goofy mile and playful nature.
On November 17, 2019, she went to bed after a joyful day playing with her brothers and our early Christmas tree. In the morning, I asked my partner to wake her for breakfast. Seconds later, I heard a scream that froze my blood. She was gone. I tried CPR, pounded on neighbors’ doors for help, but nothing could bring her back.
At the hospital, we were met with quiet faces and compassion. I held her one last time as a quick christening was arranged. That night was endless grief. The next day, we saw her in the chapel, ice cold and still, the reality crashing over us.
The coroner found no cause of death—it could take six months for pathology.Several days later, she was ultimately brought to the funeral home. I went to see her daily, bringing pictures, sketches, and notes
On December 12, 2019, we said goodbye. Her coffin, carried by white horses and surrounded by pink bows and flowers, was fit for the princess she was.
After the funeral, the silence was unbearable. To keep her memory alive, we created a tribute page for The Lullaby Trust, raising funds for SIDS research. On her first birthday, we released balloons with our community, raising more donations.
We promised to never stop speaking her name, sharing her story, and searching for answers. Primrose changed us forever in just ten short months, and though she left far too soon, she will always be loved beyond measure.
