A Father's Reflection

A Father's Reflection What I have Learned from the Death of my Son Dear Reader, As many, perhaps not all of you, know, my son Gabriel Augustine Hall was born and died on October 24. He lived for just over two hours outside the womb, and he died sleeping on his mother’s chest. We knew he was going to have a very short life; he was diagnosed via sound genetic testing with Trisomy 13, which is a genetic disease incompatible with life. He was baptized and confirmed soon after birth — I baptized him in the OR — and the Mass of Angels was celebrated for him on October 31 — All Hallows Eve — which was so fitting for our little Saint Gabriel. We had received the crushing news about two months before he was born, and because of this, we had time to prepare. That time was excruciating, and at present I am writing a book — or at least trying to — about our whole experience, which I hope will one day be useful to parents grieving the illnesses and deaths of their children. In any event, my intention …