The birth of a child is always a great joy in a family, especially when a long wait precedes its arrival. This was also the case with Sonya Harlow, who had been praying for the birth of her daughter for many years.
She and her husband, Spencer Harlow, who is a US Army veteran, have been together for 8 years and have 10 boys together from previous relationships.
When she finally became pregnant and it turned out that she was expecting a baby girl, it seemed that the mother’s dream was finally coming true. However, ᴄᴏᴍᴘʟɪᴄᴀᴛɪᴏɴs arose during Sonya’s pregnancy, including high ʙʟᴏᴏᴅ ᴘʀᴇssᴜʀᴇ, and she had to stop working in healthcare. However, she endured everything until she finally gave birth to her first daughter on November 5, 2020.
The birth of the little girl was an almost surreal moment for the parents, and soon they found the perfect name for her. “Until now, she had always had sons, and now she was praying for a daughter. We named our daughter Eliyanah, who is God’s answer to our prayers. The appearance of the name Eliyanah: “God answered,” explained Spencer.
But unfortunately, not long after, on November 16, 2020, 11 days after Eliyanah’s birth, Sonya ʟᴏsᴛ her life. Spencer, recalling the circumstances of his wife’s ᴅ.ᴇᴀ.ᴛʜ, said he woke up around 2 a.m. and heard Sonya making plaintive sounds, which immediately made it obvious to him that she must be in a lot of ᴘᴀɪɴ.
“I turned and saw her d.y.ing. We tried to resuscitate her until the ambulance arrived, but by then it was too late,” Spencer said.
The man was completely devastated by the ʟᴏss, plus he was left alone with 10 boys and a newborn girl to take care of.
“Sonya was a great woman and wife. She was the most beautiful woman I ever knew. She was so vibrant and full of life. She’s also loving, kind and caring,” Spencer said of his wife.
At the same time, Sonya’s ᴅ.ᴇᴀ.ᴛʜ affected not only her husband and children, but also her best friend terribly. Nancy Leger Davie had known Sonya for 17 years and was sʜᴏᴄᴋᴇᴅ by her ᴅ.ᴇᴀ.ᴛʜ. “I don’t know how I will live without her. It was an important part of my life,” she said.
Davie has also set up a GoFundMe page for the Harlow family, who were taken by surprise by the ʟᴏss of Sonya. Spencer also revealed that his wife did not have life insurance either.
“Since she was unable to work for several months before the birth, her husband supported all 10 children from his own income alone. Because it all happened so unexpectedly, they had no life insurance and no money set aside. The amount raised will be used for funeral expenses/tombstone. And if there is anything left, it will be used to care for the children,” Davie wrote on the site.
The fundraising goal was originally $10,000, but much more, $46,603, was collected. Sonya’s ꜰᴜɴᴇʀᴀʟ was held on November 24, 2020 in Dayton, Texas.
