Thank you for your prayers and support of our family in this time. It is a great consolation to have our friends and family around the country rally around us.
All donations will be used to help cover the medical, funeral, and burial expenses for baby Zoe.
Here’s a brief timeline of their recent events.
Tuesday December 3rd
Nick and Paeter celebrated their 8th wedding anniversary. It was right around this time that they found out they were pregnant with number five, a cause for great joy!
Tuesday May 27th
Having heard that baby Zoe likely had a cleft lip and potentially a cleft palette from an earlier anatomy scan, we had an ultrasound with a specialist to determine the extent of the situation. At the end of the ultrasound, the ultrasound tech confirmed that Zoe did have both a cleft lip and palette before telling us that she also had multiple serious health issues. They came to find out from the doctor that these issues were likely indicators of Trisomy 13 or 18 which would likely lead to a very short life outside of the womb. Testing would later confirm Trisomy 13.
Friday May 30th
Their family traveled to Life Teen’s Camp Covecrest where Nick would lead sessions for their week of summer camp. They would spend the next week there surrounded by an incredible team of priests, religious sisters, missionaries, and staff (and 334 campers!).
Tuesday June 3rd
Feeling very little movement from the baby in the morning, Paeter let Nick know that she was concerned. Following the midwife’s advice, she drank some sweet juice at dinner to get Zoe moving, but to no avail.
That night, Nick preached a (scheduled) message of Mary’s trust in God in the midst of her great grief as she experienced the death of her Son, Jesus. This was the key image from that session.
As they went to bed full of sorrow, Nick placed his hand on Paeter’s stomach. After not experiencing any movement since breakfast, Nick and Paeter felt one last kick from Zoe together, her last goodbye.
Wednesday June 4th
An early morning ultrasound appointment confirmed that Zoe had passed sometime in the night, just before turning 29 weeks old.
They settle on her name, Zoe Fidelis Labrie.
Zoe means eternal, divine life. More than mere living or biological existence, Zoe is the deep, spiritual life of God that we are invited to share.
Fidelis is Latin for faithful. It was chosen as a confident claim of God’s faithfulness to this little daughter of His and His faithfulness to us in times of suffering.
God’s faithfulness was tangible as they returned to camp to the prayer and support of the leadership community there. Masses were offered daily for Zoe.
Saturday June 7th
Nick and Paeter returned home to the support of their community in Panama City to prepare for Zoe’s delivery, funeral Mass, and burial.
