A routine AFP test started the nightmare that turned our world on its end.  The test indicated 1:10 odds of Trisomy 18 and sent us to a maternal-fetal specialist.  We hoped it was one of the false positives you routinely hear about.

At that appointment on April 18, 2006, however, our hopes faded.  But not the love we had for our unborn child.  We were told our son had alobar holoprosencephaly, tetralogy of fallot, a small stomach bubble and a possible cleft lip/palate.  They did an amnio and confirmed Trisomy 13 two weeks later.  Abortion was offered as a "solution".

Our prayers, along with this site with the stories and friends we made here, sustained us for the next five months.  I often felt that we were in a time warp as time seemed to crawl, with too many sleepless nights and emotion-laden days to count.  We braced to prepare our two older children, who were 10 and 6, and the rest of our family and friends for the dreaded news.  The prayers we received in return were truly humbling and continue to sustain us.

Paul Wyatt was born via c-section at 37.5 weeks.  He weighed 6 lbs., 10 oz.  His APGAR scores were 2 and 8.  He lived for three hours and one minute.  We prayed that he would not suffer and that we would have time to know and love him.

We were singing "Jesus Loves Me" to him and he opened his beautiful blue eyes and smiled - it is a gift I will always treasure!  He then slipped right into the waiting arms of heaven.  What an angel! And what an impact he has had on us; teaching us about the value of life and quality of time, and so much more.

Kyle and Julie Sexton
sexton88@bellsouth.net