Rachel Elaine Grapes, Our Miracle, God’s Angel

Rachel Elaine Grapes was born on October 8, 2008, with a genetic disorder called Trisomy 18. As devastating as that has been, Rachel’s few short days here on earth were a miracle and a blessing to every person that came in contact with her. You see trisomy 18, also known as Edward’s Syndrome, affects 1 in 3,000 children! Until Rachel was born I never heard of this genetic defect, nor did I realize just how common it is.

When my brother, Dave and his wife, Barb, were made aware of their unborn child’s genetic condition, it was a most heartbreaking moment for our entire family. Suddenly we are thrown into an arena of researching, questioning and then having to just accept what God has placed within our midst.

October 8, 2008, Rachel Elaine was born to this earth! Children with this condition rarely survive to term, let alone the birth, so God blessed us with her birth and subsequent days with our family. From the moment I walked into the hospital room and laid eyes on Rachel, something within me just connected on a level with her that today I still do not quite understand. Every person, family, friend, even the hospital staff were in awe of her presence. The immense warmth in the room, the feeling of being at peace, the light that shone from her being all of that was just known in each of us.

At that moment, I did not see anyone else in the room, it was Rachel and myself, I could not take my eyes off of her. The light that surrounded her tiny body was so bright, never had I experienced such a vision. There was one thought that immediately came into my mind…my life is no longer about me! I could not get that thought out of my head and still cannot today as I write this. Here is this little child, just clinging to life, teaching me a lesson that is profound and humbling.

I did not hold her that day, I just stared at her. I wanted everyone else to experience her that would not be back for another visit. I wanted to feel her in a way that would last forever, a spiritual connection. Rachel came home October 10th, such a special occasion for Dave , Barb and their 6 other children, Samantha, David Jr., Kelly, Lorissa, Matthew and Jennifer! On that day this family came together, bonded with Rachel and just experienced her, loved her and got to know her. That day was the most precious moment for Dave and Barb to have ALL of their children together, knowing that it would only be for a short time.

October 11th, not wanting to impose on what precious little time they had with Rachel, I just had to go see her. I held her for so long, I just did not want to let her go…but holding her for too long stressed her little body just to breath. The moment came when I knew that her time was near, Rachel stopped breathing, Barb and Dave messaged her chest, she resumed breathing….. it was time for me to say goodbye to Rachel. I knew that it would be only a matter of hours or minutes and she needed to be with all those closest to her…

When I came home I was just numb, not really sure what I was feeling, just a deep sense of sorrow, for what could have been. But “my life is no longer about me” kept repeating itself over and over again in my mind. Sleep eluded me, in fact I did not even realize how late it was when the phone rang at 2am on the 12th, Rachel Elaine Grapes passed away peacefully surrounded by her parents and siblings. Our lives will never be the same, our sorrow will always be present, but God’s gift to us is even greater that any gift He could have given, 3 days with Rachel and a message that has transformed my life forever, “my life is no longer about me”. I still feel her nearby, I still see that light when I close my eyes at night and now I know that miracles come to us in many ways, Rachel Elaine is that miracle!


To “SEE” Rachel Elaine Grapes please visit:
http://rachelgrapes.blogspot.com/

For more information about Trisomy 18
http://www.trisomy18.org