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In memoriam for babies

Re: “Baby brother real to me,” by Lee Jones Berquist on Sept. 26. I share your strong sentiment about your living and breathing brother. When I was 4 years old, my mom gave birth to our fourth sibling, Colleen, who died three days later. She was a 7-month preemie in a small town hospital (when does that happen anymore?).

At the time, they would not let my mother even see or hold Colleen because they knew Colleen was not going to live. Hospital authorities felt that holding her baby would be more traumatic. Dad took her little coffin under his arm to the funeral by himself. We five other kids (one came later) knew we had a little sister in heaven. When times were tough we directed our prayers to Colleen, hoping she would be able to whisper our prayers into God’s ear. We never saw her but she was always with us.

In memoriam for your baby brother Eddy Burl Jones and my little sister, Colleen.

Jim Mahoney

Spokane

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