Orion

Orion Lorenzo Sorace was born at 7:42 Pacific time on June 1st. He lived every second of his brief minutes in the arms of people who loved him.

Orion was born en caul, in a remarkably gentle delivery. I have never seen a more delicate and fragile living thing, the most tiny human being imaginable. Born at 23 weeks gestational age, he was too tiny and too fragile to survive. He lived just long enough for his mother and I to hold him before passing away in our arms.

Our son’s time was excruciatingly brief. A week on, I cry every time I think of a new thing he’ll never have the chance to do. I was exstatic seeing him just wiggle his fingers; crushed knowing we will never see him run or play or laugh. I wish more than anything we could have given him more time, but I am grateful for every second he shared with us. As it became clear that the medical situation was dire, it wasn’t certain we were going to be able to see our child alive at all. I have never been given a greater gift than those minutes together.

He was our winter constellation, beautiful and shining and born at the wrong time. We love you, Orion. Rest in peace.