OUR STORY
"From the very beginning, having a family was something we both agreed upon."
Early in our relationship, my husband and I agreed that we wanted to start a family while we were still young. So when we discovered I was pregnant shortly after getting married, we were overjoyed. Like most expectant parents, we immediately began preparing for our baby’s arrival — setting up a nursery, dreaming about the future, and envisioning a life filled with milestones and memories. We never imagined that our journey into parenthood would unfold so differently.
On June 15, 2006, our daughter Hannah was born prematurely at just 28 weeks. A lack of oxygen caused by a dysfunctional placenta led to a devastating brain bleed. That injury left no chance of survival — and with it, the hopes we had for a healthy baby vanished in an instant. Hannah was born still.
Nothing can prepare you for the heartbreak of losing a child. The delivery room, which should have echoed with the cries of a newborn, was instead filled with the quiet sobs of my husband and the nurses as I cradled our beautiful daughter.
Hello and goodbye, all in a single breath.
When Hannah left us, I lost more than my child — I lost my faith in life, and in God.
"I had lost all faith in life and God after losing Hannah..."
On May 3, 2008, our second daughter, Amelia Sander, was born prematurely at just 26 weeks. Like her sister before her, Amelia’s time with us was far too short. She passed away while we were out for dinner. I knew something was wrong before we even arrived at the hospital. And when the doctors confirmed my worst fear, I couldn’t bring myself to push — I knew there would be no cries, no heartbeat, no miracle waiting on the other side.
Losing Amelia shattered what little strength I had left. The grief of losing one child is unbearable — losing two feels like drowning with no way to surface. My faith, already fragile, crumbled. I couldn’t stop asking, Why? Why us? Why again? What kind of God gives you a child only to take them away?
Life lost its meaning for a time. I was angry, broken, and lost in sorrow. But even in my anguish, I couldn’t shake the feeling that Hannah and Amelia’s lives had a purpose — that there had to be meaning in their brief time on earth. As a mother, I knew I had to find that purpose. I had to keep their memories alive in a way that could bring light to others, even if my world still felt so dark.
In February 2013, a trip to India gave me the clarity I had been searching for. I visited an all-girls orphanage — a place filled with young girls who had lost so much, yet radiated resilience and hope. Standing there among them, I felt something shift. That was my Aha moment.
In that space of love and need, I finally found my answer to why. I knew then that I was meant to do something to help — to honor Hannah and Amelia by giving love and opportunity to children who needed it most. Their legacy would live on, not only in my heart, but in the lives of others their story could touch.
"It was from that trip Hannah and Amelia's Angels Foundation was founded."
That trip to India became the turning point — the moment when Hannah and Amelia’s legacy found its voice. From that experience, Hannah and Amelia’s Angels Foundation was born. My hope has always been to inspire other women who’ve walked similar paths — women who carry the same invisible grief — to discover purpose and healing through honoring the lives of their precious babies.
Everything I do through this foundation is for my daughters. I strive to make them proud. I see their memory reflected in the smiles of the children we support — their light shines through every act of kindness, every life touched. Keeping Hannah and Amelia’s short but meaningful journeys alive through this work has brought me a sense of fulfillment I never thought possible. It filled the emptiness I once feared would last forever.
I never imagined this would be my story. I never dreamed of a life without children in my arms. But life gave me this pain — a pain so deep it marks you forever. And I made a choice: to embrace that pain, to transform it into something meaningful by easing the burdens of others, especially underprivileged children.
My life’s path, though carved by loss, is now one of love, purpose, and impact. It’s not only about helping children reach their dreams — sometimes it’s simply about seeing them smile. In those moments, I feel Hannah and Amelia beside me. I feel their strength, their love, and their quiet encouragement. They are the heartbeat of this foundation.
I consider it a privilege — a blessing — to be able to leave a legacy in their honor. If sharing my journey can help even one person transform heartbreak into healing, then it’s worth every word. Holding on to faith in the midst of tragedy is not easy. But I’ve learned that even in our darkest seasons, there can be meaning.
I truly believe that each of us has a profound purpose. The signs are all around us — sometimes subtle, sometimes bold — guiding us toward it. We must hold onto hope and faith, especially in our most painful moments. Because I’ve come to understand something deeply: if your journey feels harder than most, it may be because your purpose is greater than you ever imagined.
And today, I believe that more than ever.
“Life does not happen to you but for you” – Tony Robbins.
Our Progress
FUNDS RAISED PROJECTS
$202,000 9