Ring Doorbell footage posted on TikTok has captured two emotional moments in a family's life.
The footage chronicled the highest joy and deepest sorrow Jessie and Nate, both 32, experienced on their journey as parents to their stillborn baby, Matthew. They wrote in the video's caption: "We look at this footage often. We are so thankful to have these moments captured."
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On December 23, two days after Matthew's due date, the couple from Naples, Florida, asked Jessie's sister and brother-in-law to be their child's godparents, and the couple was "honored" to be chosen, Jessie told Newsweek.
In the first part of the TikTok video, the camera footage shows Jessie's sister leaving the house singing, "Godparents!" Her husband, pointing to the doormat, says, "Good vibes surely were inside."
The second part, filmed weeks later, showed a starkly different scene, with Matthew's godparents carrying his urn as they returned to the house.
Jessie's water had broken on Christmas Eve, but what was supposed to be the happiest moment of the expecting parents' lives turned into a nightmare.
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Hospital staff failed to find Matthew's heartbeat, and an ultrasound confirmed that he had died.
"Our world shattered as we grappled with the unimaginable loss, even as I continued to labor," Jessie said.
After 24 hours, Matthew Roger was born at 8:48 a.m. on Christmas Day.
"He was perfect in every physical sense—10 fingers, 10 toes and a head full of thick, curly brown hair," Nate said.
"His 9-pound, 5-ounce frame and 22.5 inches length embodied his robust presence, [but] despite his perfection, he did not draw breath," he continued.
The couple spent Christmas Day cherishing precious moments with their baby, who was dressed in a white satin gown and knitted white hat.
Family members, including grandparents, aunts and uncles, gathered around Jessie and Nate to mourn the loss of Matthew.
"We sang to him, held him, and kissed his tiny fingers and forehead," Jessie said.
She continued: "Nate and I prayed over him one last time before saying our final goodbyes as he was prepared for the funeral home.
"Our nurse compassionately covered his bassinet with a clean white sheet and wheeled him away, marking the most difficult moment of our lives."
Jessie and Nate's TikTok video has received more than 4 million views, and hundreds of users have left comments to share in the couple's grief.
"You have my thoughts," wrote one user who said she'd lost her baby at 20 weeks.
"The way she hugged that [urn] they were truly the right two to be the God parents," another said.
Other users noticed the absence of the "Good Vibes" doormat in the second half of the video, and Jessie said in the comments section that she had asked Nate to throw it out when they came home.
"Our family and community rallied around us, organizing a GoFundMe and a meal train, and offering heartfelt support," the couple told Newsweek.
"We held a touching memorial service attended by nearly 300 people [and] Matthew's godparents were tasked with driving [him] home in his sweet little urn after the service," they continued.
Jessie and Nate said that in sharing their sorrow, they realized the importance of speaking openly about stillbirth, and they have since created Matty's Corner—a dedicated space in their backyard that has a royal palm and bench—where they can find solace in remembering their son.
The couple also founded an in-person stillbirth support group of the same name.
Matty's Corner "provides solace for parents who have experienced the profound loss of a child through stillbirth, offering a sanctuary where they can gather, grieve and openly share memories of their babies," Nate said.
The couple's doorbell camera captured love and loss, and as they reflect on their journey, they cherish those who were there to support them.
They said: "Their presence provided comfort during our darkest days, reminding us that Matthew Roger's brief life left an undeniable mark on all who knew him and that we will see him again one day with our heavenly Father.
"As we navigate life without Matthew physically by our side, we find strength in preserving his legacy and advocating for greater awareness and support for families affected by stillbirth."
About the writer
Daniella Gray is a Newsweek Family & Parenting Reporter based in London, U.K. Her focus is on family dynamics, childhood ... Read more
