Jena and Dan Haley of Philadelphia were ecstatic when they found out that they were expecting a baby. That joy turned to sadness when an ultrasound revealed something was seriously wrong with their unborn baby. Diagnosed with anencephaly, a brain defect in which a portion of the skull and brain are not present, created a grim scenario in which “ Shane ” would not live for more than a few days after birth. Instead of living the next nine months in a depressed state, the Haley’s decided to live out Shane’s life by creating a bucket list in his honor. They created the Prayers for Shane Facebook page to allow the world to experience the journey. The proud parents checked off the last item just hours before Shane’s death.
“Today at 6:15 a.m., after meeting his entire family and being baptized into the Catholic faith, baby Shane died peacefully in his Mother’s arms. We are so grateful for the time that we were blessed to hold and hug our son.”
The emotional journey, both heart breaking and heartwarming at the same time, celebrates the life of Shane Haley , and shows the unbridled love for the Haley’s unborn son. The proud parents-to-be visited places that they hoped to take Shane as he grew older, prior to the reveal of his mortal disease. Each destination was shared with friends, family, and strangers on the Prayers for Shane Facebook page. Destinations such as the Statue of Liberty, New York City, a pumpkin patch, a Phillies game, and even a zoo were captured forever within social media’s broad reach. Baby Shane may have only lived for hours after birth, but his legacy will live forever across the internet.
Shane Haley was born at 2:25 a.m. on October 9, 2014, nearly four hours prior to passing on. Although his life was short, his impact on the world was enormous.
Tragic news of a terminal illness can devastate a relationship and create emotional chaos for many parents. Instead of giving in to the sadness, the Haley’s made the most of the short time they had with their son, and included him in the life experiences they wanted him to partake in. Dan Haley summed it up last month when he expressed his take away from the situation.
“One thing we would want people to take away is that each human life is so valuable and that it’s important to live each day to its fullest potential,”
[Photo Courtesy: News ]
