On November 30, 2022, our lives changed forever. We were a happy and active family of three. Mom, Dad and 19 month old little boy, Brooks, all anxiously awaiting the arrival of our new son/brother, Roman Brooks Woodward. We went to the hospital that morning hoping it would be the day that we would welcome him into the world. But what should have been the best day of our lives, quickly turned into the worst day of our lives. That’s when we were told there was no heartbeat and that our precious baby boy was called Home to Heaven. Our world came crashing down as we tried to grasp that our full term, beautiful little boy was not going to take a breath. We gave birth to him that day and experienced the most pain and suffering we have ever felt in our lives. We were told the stillbirth was the result of a placental abruption and there is nothing we could have done.
The following days, weeks and months were somewhat of a blur, as we tried to cope with such immense loss and suffering. The one thing that we do remember is all the love and support we got from family, friends and even strangers. The biggest blessing during our first year after losing Roman, was connecting with other Moms and Dads who have lost children too. I wish with all my heart that no one else ever had to experience the pain of losing a child, but it was comforting to talk with these parents who had walked the same unimaginable path and know we were not alone. It is a club that no one ever wants to be a part of, and sadly seems to have the absolute best members in it. We will never understand why bad things happen to good people, but together, we can help one another get through the darkest of days after loss, which is why we created The Roman Woodward Foundation.
The Roman Woodward Foundation was created to help families cope and deal with their pain and suffering. As we grow, we hope to add additional resources to help families, but for now, our focus is on our Roman’s Wrap initiative. Our goal is to donate as many Roman’s Wraps to as many hospitals as possible.
Although our beautiful Roman Brooks Woodward never took a breath, all he ever knew was love. Through this foundation, his legacy will live on… Always Remembered, Always Loved, Until We Meet Again.
After the loss of our full-term baby boy, Roman Brooks Woodward, to a stillbirth on 11/30/2023, we wanted to do something to help other grieving parents and families of still born babies. We founded the Roman Woodward Foundation to serve as a resource for families suffering from the loss of a child.
In the face of such an immense loss, at the hospital, we were provided with a Cuddle Cot—a device that assists in preserving the body of a deceased infant, allowing families to spend more time with their baby. However, we soon realized that the Cuddle Cot did not extend to the moments when we held Roman in our arms, which were filled with a mix of love, grief, and longing. The constant need to return Roman to the Cuddle Cot disrupted the already fragile farewell process, leaving us yearning for a solution. It was in the midst of our grief and determination to honor Roman's memory that Janet Woodward, Roman’s Grandma, conceived the idea of Roman's Wrap. This innovative and compassionate creation was designed to address the heart-wrenching predicament faced by families like ours. Roman's Wrap is a soft and comforting blanket with a unique inner lining that includes a pocket to hold a flexible ice pack – allowing the baby to be held comfortably and yet be preserved longer. These wraps afford grieving families the invaluable gift of time, offering solace during the darkest of times.
We intend to expand the resources we can offer to help such families, as the Foundation grows. But, today, our efforts are focused on donating as many Roman’s Wraps to as many hospital maternity wards as possible. Through the Roman Woodward Foundation, we hope to raise funds to pay for the production and delivery of as many Roman’s Wraps as possible.