The transition from being two people madly in love with each other to becoming parents of a child counts as the most beautiful journey in anybody’s life. The feeling of creating life and giving birth to it is the kind of happiness that is completely out of the world. A child is like God’s blessing that parents will end up cherishing throughout their lives. But the pain one feels if they’re told that their precious baby will be taken away from them soon after it is born is impossible to imagine. But that’s exactly what happened to the Laux family when doctors told them that their unborn baby had a medical condition called Trisomy 13.Their love story began at a scuba diving center where the couple met. Then they got married in August 2007 and were very happy together. Eventually they were given the happy news that they were going to have a child together.
Soon the regular prenatal tests began and they got to know that they were having a baby boy. Right away they decided to name their child Thomas. The couple was planning a happy life together with their baby boy but were completely unaware of the devastating future that awaited them.
They went for their regular check-up and were informed that their baby had Trisomy 13, a rare genetic anomaly, which meant that Thomas would survive for only a few hours or days at the max after he was born.
Despite knowing the fact that their time with Thomas would be short, they chose to continue with the pregnancy till the due date. The couple opted for a hospice nurse and even accepted help from their families and church community as they wanted to make their child’s life as meaningful and comfortable as possible.
The couple delivered their amazing baby boy on June 29, 2008. Moments after the birth, Deidrea was handed over her child and the entire family was elated when he cried.
The proud parents got to spend five days with their precious angel. Thomas was born with a cleft lip and 6 fingers and toes, all features of children born with Trisomy 13. The doctors were happily surprised when he opened his beautiful blue eyes for the first time as babies with Trisomy 13 are usually born with no eyes.
In the five days that they go to spend together, Thomas was able to be at his home surrounded by all his loved ones. His father made the most of his time. He took him out on walk, showed him a dog, took him to the garage and even walked him outside with bare feet so that he could feel the grass between his toes.
The family celebrated every day as if it were Thomas’ birthday. The nursing staff brought a cake and presents from the gift shop for the boy. But the family wanted to take Thomas home. The doctors just had this to say to the hopeful couple, “None of us really know right now what’s going to happen… It’s up to Thomas.”
**Today, they are proud parents of a healthy baby girl named, Isabella. Thomas’ journey was documented by the Dallas Morning News and can be seen HERE.**