PETERSBURG, Va. -- Michelle Allette has found purpose in her pain.
Eight years ago, she was elated to be carrying twins. However, a devastating life turn would change everything.
"Elijah was my son. He was one of my twins and I lost him in 2014 and I wanted to help other families who experienced the same thing. It can be very devastating and sometimes, you feel like you are on autopilot and unable to do other things in life," Allette said.
It's a pain she never wants another parent to experience.
After working through the trauma of her loss, thanks to counseling and supportive friends and family, she found herself in a place wanting and willing to be a light for other families who lost their babies.
Now, she has created Elijah's Purpose, a nonprofit to help other families.
"We are there for emotional support. We connect them with counselors and they can do it with licensed counselors, spiritual counselors or mom-to-mom or dad-to-dad support. Because it is not just the mom that loses the baby, it is the entire family. We also have support groups for the children as well, help them to navigate through the situation," Allette said.
She is now working wit the Bland Funeral Home in Petersburg and explains how her organization will try to ease the burden for families.
"With our partnership with Elijah's Purpose, anyone in the Petersburg area that experienced pregnancy or infant loss in the first year of life, that will be covered as well. If they get a cremation, that is covered 100% and if they get a traditional burial, the family still has to pay nothing. Elijah's Purpose covers the cost and Bland has its own cemetery and will cover that as well," Allette said.
She said that when the community donates to help Elijah's Purpose, they are helping to uplift families who are left broken by grief.
"If you do $21 per month, you will be covering the cost of an infant casket. Last year, there were 579 babies who passed away in Virginia and two-thirds of that is in Central Virginia in this area, including Richmond. So there is definitely a need and we just want to be able to help the families that are going through it," Allette said.
Allette said an upcoming gala at Meadowbrook Country Club on October 14 will allow the community to lend support. Proceeds will go back into Elijah's Purpose to assist more families who are dealing with the pain of infant loss.
The nonprofit will also host a memorial event on October 15 at Ettrick Park to remember the tiny angels that each family has lost.
