It should have been the most exciting time of their lives, a second baby on the way, but instead Erika and Stephen Jones knew the odds were stacked against their family.
A 30-week ultrasound revealed the Jones’ little unborn angel had an inoperable brain tumour and most likely wouldn’t be born alive.
“The doctor prepared us that this was really bad,” Erika told ABC News. “The prognosis was very poor.”
Erika, who works as a neurology nurse herself, had just got her family used to the idea that her second daughter would be born with Down syndrome but the second forecast was devastating.
The tumour “literally came out of nowhere. At the 26-week ultrasound, her brain looked completely fine.”
But when Abigail Jones was born on August 6th, her parents were determined to fill her short life with love. They decided to hire photographer Mary Huszcza to capture some intimate images of the Jones’ bittersweet family life.
“We knew little Abby’s life had a purpose, no matter how long or short it was,” Erika wrote in a blog post on Mary’s website.
“We have smothered this little one with love and kisses and will continue to do so every moment we get.”
Here are some of the heartbreaking images.
The parents of a baby girl born with an inoperable brain tumour set up a bittersweet photo shoot to show their love. PHOTO CREDIT: Mary Huszcza.