Austin's Blog

On the anniversary of Gabriel’s birth, I want to share a special story about the day he entered this world. He was born at Ochsner Baptist in New Orleans. Valerie’s doctor happened to be out that evening (Elton John was performing in NOLA), so another team of doctors stepped in to assist in her absence.

Because Gabriel had a minor issue in utero, there was a lot of preparation for his arrival. By the time he was born, close to fourteen people were in the delivery room, including a team of pediatric NICU doctors standing by to help the moment he arrived. It was quite the crowd for his birth!

Valerie pushed for several hours before Gabriel finally made his entrance. As soon as he was born, the NICU team took him to check on him. He cried loudly as they examined him, his tiny voice filling the room. I made sure Valerie was okay, and she nodded, letting me know it was fine to go to him. When I approached Gabriel and began talking, something incredible happened—he immediately stopped crying and looked at me. It was as if he recognized my voice.

In that moment, my love for him, already immense before he was born, was sealed forever. I gently caressed him, did the usual dad things like cutting the umbilical cord, and then he was brought to Valerie. We ourselves have had to do a lot of listening to our Father’s voice within the Scriptures since Gabriel was taken from us. But more important than the fact that he was taken, he was given. It really happened. He was and is even now. His life has forever left an indelible stain upon the contours of everything, dark pigments but also those of deep and great vibrance and beauty.

After his own son passed, English poet William Wordsworth wrote to a friend saying, “I loved the boy with the utmost love of which my soul is capable, and he is taken from me – yet in the agony of my spirit in surrendering such a treasure I feel a thousand times richer than if I had never possessed it.” We are rich not because of anything we own or possess within a bank but because we were so lucky to be Mom, Dad, and big sister to Gabriel Austin DeArmond. Happy heavenly birthday, my boy. We love you.