Family Spreads Holiday Cheer in Son's Memory

“This is one of the nicest things anyone has ever done for me,” said Darlene Hackworth, wiping a tear from her eye. “Bless you.”

Darlene is around 35 weeks pregnant. She had spent time at OhioHealth Riverside Methodist Hospital on the high risk obstetrics unit, but knew she needed to be home to help her husband, David, daughter, Gracie, and son, Evan, who has special needs, however she could. So she worked out a plan with medical staff to go home on bedrest.

Lindsay White knows all about being a patient on the high risk unit. She spent time there in the spring of 2016 during her second pregnancy with son, Reagan Michael. The mother to Beckett and the wife to Nathan had experienced a difficult pregnancy. Sadly, Reagan passed away two hours after being born. His parents want his short life to be remembered as triumphant and overcoming. They established a fund in honor of him at Riverside to assist families on the high risk unit.

This year, the White’s decided to “adopt” a high risk OB unit family for the holidays. With the help of a social worker on the unit, the Hackworth Family was chosen. Through fundraisers and donations from family, friends, colleagues and the community, the family was able to purchase gifts, gift cards and a financial gift for the Hackworths. The two families met just before the holidays at Riverside.

“To be able to give back is big for us,” said Nathan.

“We’re just hoping to help bring them a little bit of relief,” said Lindsay. “A moment of joy.”

To learn more about Reagan White’s fund at Riverside, click here.

To read more about the high risk obstetrics unit at Riverside, click here.