Grieving parents support each other during Walk to Remember

On a gorgeous fall morning, hundreds of moms and dads gathered in Naperville to share tears, hugs and stories about the babies no longer with them.

The sixth annual Walk to Remember, an event that helps families touched by miscarriage, stillbirth and death in early infancy, took place Saturday near the Riverwalk in downtown Naperville.

In addition to offering comfort for the families, the two-mile walk raises money for the continued development of the Wings of Hope Angel Garden at Edward Hospital and the Edward Foundation SHARE program, a support group for people dealing with the loss of a baby.

Carrie Wrona of Plainfield helped get the walk started in Naperville six years ago, after the death of her son, Jacob.

“I needed to do something with my grief, Wrona said Saturday. “Sharing feelings with others who'd been through a similar situation really helped.

Saturday's event began with a memorial service in the Riverwalk Grand Pavilion that included short talks from parents about their personal losses. Later, the names of more than 100 babies were read aloud. Parents and other relatives of the babies walked up and received roses in their honor.

Throughout the morning, families cried and hugged each other. Many parents burst into tears after receiving their roses.

But along with the grief, there was comfort.

“This is a way to recognize and honor our babies, said Nicole Jurjovec, a Naperville resident who lost her daughter, Grace, last year and helped coordinate this year's walk. “After all, they don't have birthday parties every year. And recognizing them like this is very powerful, very comforting. It's wonderful to make something positive come out of grief.

Kelly Farley of Aurora, one of Saturday's speakers, told the crowd about the loss of his two children, Katie and Noah. Farley is the founder of the Grieving Dads Project, which helps fathers dealing with the loss of a child.

Farley said he didn't deal honestly with his grief at first, following instead the adage: “Big boys don't cry. But after sinking into depression and feeling cut off from loved ones, he turned to the SHARE program for help.

“I left that first meeting feeling like I had permission to grieve, he said. “Permission to tell my story, permission to cry.

After the memorial service, attendees went on the walk, which looped back around to the Grand Pavilion for a raffle and closing ceremony.