From Loss to New Life: William’s Story
By Jamie Heard, Co-Founder of Don’t Forget the Dudes
There are moments in life that divide everything into before and after.
December 11, 2015, is that moment for our family.
Just weeks before, life felt full and settled. My husband and I had been married for several years. We had a four-year-old daughter, Madeline, and our two-year-old son, William. Life as a family of four was full of joy, and we were deeply content. I remember sitting in the car with my husband after a couple’s trip in November and saying out loud, “Life is really good.” It felt true in every way.
And then came the moment that changed our lives forever.
That morning, I had spent extra time in prayer. I prayed for God’s will to be done. “Whatever You have for me, Lord, give me the strength to get through it.” I didn’t know then how soon that prayer would be answered.
Later that day, while I was at work, two coworkers came to my classroom door. I knew by the look on their faces that something was wrong. They told me William had choked at lunch and wasn’t breathing. In an instant, deep in my soul, I knew how the situation was going to end.
As I drove to the hospital, I called friends and family and asked them to pray, but my own prayer never changed. I didn’t ask for a miracle. I didn’t plead for God to save him. I simply repeated the same words over and over: “Lord, let Your will be done.”
When I arrived at the hospital, I watched them take William out of the ambulance on a stretcher. I looked into his eyes and knew he was already with Jesus. That peace, though paired with unimaginable heartbreak, was a gift. I didn’t live in the agony of uncertainty. I knew my son was gone, and I knew God was right there with me.
The hours and days that followed were filled with doctors, nurses, a waiting room full of people praying, and moments I will never forget. William was placed on a ventilator, though there were no signs of brain activity. He looked perfect, like he was sleeping.
Then came a conversation that changed everything.
We were presented with the option of organ donation.
In the midst of our greatest loss, there was a glimmer of hope. If William’s life could give anyone more time, three days, three years, even three minutes, we wanted that. We would have taken any amount of time with him. Choosing organ donation felt like an answered prayer, a way for his life to continue touching others.
Because of that decision, we were given precious time. Time for our family to gather. Time to hold our son. Time to say our goodbyes. And time to witness something incredibly holy.
There was an intimate presence of the Holy Spirit in William’s hospital room. Nurses returned on their days off because they “couldn’t leave him.” Friends took photos we now treasure. Strangers prayed. God met us in that place with a grace and kindness that still humbles me.
On the Monday morning of William’s transplant surgery, we said goodbye and went home to a quiet house. Quiet, but not empty. We still had Madeline, and for that, I was grateful beyond words.
Soon after, we learned something incredible.
William’s heart went on to save an 18-month-old little girl named Ava.
Through a series of events that can only be described as God-ordained, our families connected. I watched a video of Ava’s transplant and saw my William’s heart welcomed into her tiny body. “Welcome to your new home,” the doctor said. In our deepest grief, new life was beating because of William.
We gained an entire family that day.
Grief does not disappear. It changes you. And just as James 1:3 reminds us, it produces endurance and can strengthen our faith. I have experienced an intimacy with the Lord that I don’t believe would have been possible without walking through such a deep valley. I’ve also learned that grief was never meant to be carried alone.
Our family was surrounded by community, by people who showed up, prayed, cooked meals, sat quietly, and held space for our pain. That support didn’t happen by accident. It came from years of investing in relationships, from choosing community long before we ever needed it.
Second Corinthians tells us that God comforts us so that we can comfort others. That is why Faithfully Restored exists. In the same way the Lord comforted the founders in our affliction, we felt called to walk alongside other women who were hurting. Six years in, we have supported thousands of women in their darkest moments, showing them that they are not along and there is hope in Jesus.
After co-founding Faithfully Restored in 2019, I met Paul and Beth Frankenberg and Michelle Warren, another mother who had lost a son. Our stories were different, but our hearts were aligned. While Faithfully Restored was taking care of women, Paul knew there was a gap in serving men who were struggling. Together, we came up with a plan to meet that need.
Don’t Forget the Dudes was created to remind men that they are seen, known, and never alone, whether they are walking through grief, addiction, loss, illness, or life’s quiet battles. It is a place where men can be supported by other men who get it, who have been there, or who are simply willing to show up.
If you have an interest in getting involved or submitting a prayer request, we’d love for you to join our mission.
It is an honor to watch the Lord continue to write my story—and to see William’s life continue to make an eternal impact. I pray this reminds you that your story, no matter how messy or full of grief, matters. God is not finished with you yet, and we are here with you.
Alongside,
Jamie
