FAIRHOPE - In life we face both tragedies and miracles, one of those unthinkable tragedies is the death of a newborn. When a baby passes away at birth, the lives of the families are turned upside down. The grief can be overwhelming. Their brief happiness may be replaced with sadness and fear.   

Robertsdale resident, Lisa Salter is finding a way to give back to those families faced with the unthinkable. 

When Salter’s daughter, Stephanie started her career as a Labor and Delivery nurse at Thomas Hospital in Fairhope, Salter became inquisitive about the fate of so many preemie and terminally ill infants.

“I wanted to know what happened. I hadn’t realized how fortunate I was to have healthy children and often took it for granted, until my daughter started her career,” she said. 

Salter, the mother of three children and grandmother of nine, decided to find a way to give a little something back to families who had lost an infant.

“At first, all I knew was that I wanted to do something, but I felt so helpless and didn’t want to intrude on families during their time of grief,” she said. “The names of the families cannot be given for security reasons, so I had no idea if they would be thankful or angry.”

More than 25 years ago, Salter took up sewing for family and friends. She now uses her talents to create “Heavenly Cocoons,” a special blanket made more like a pouch for infants who aren’t going to survive, and whom average-sized receiving blankets are too large. Constructed out of flannel and satin, the blankets are distributed at Thomas Hospital in Fairhope.

“I sew anywhere from 10 to 12 blankets a month in a variety of colors, I love making them and only hope the families love them as well,” she said.

Vicki Curtis, director of the Birth Center at Thomas Hospital said,“It really means a lot to have these homemade blankets available for my staff to distribute to the families who have lost an infant. My nursing staff and I are grateful to have people like Mrs. Salter in our community.”

Salter’s philanthropic gestures don’t stop at just utilizing her sewing talents for families in times of distress. She also donates to an organization called “Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep.

“The organization offers heirloom photography, free of charge, to families who have lost a newborn,” she said. “I know that this is the last thing on a family’s mind during all of this, but I thought the information should be passed along so that if anyone reading this is searching for a way to give back, they might donate to this organization as well.” 

According to their Web site www.nowilaymedowntosleep.org, they are a network of more than 7,000 photographers in the United States. They graciously donate their time and efforts to families in need. Their mission is both beautiful and sensitive, “The Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep Foundation is there for parents and families to help aid them in their healing, bring hope to their future and honor to their child. It is through remembrance that a family can truly begin to heal.”