Heart-wrenching doorbell camera footage revealed a family’s excitement as they prepared for the arrival of their new baby, only to return home in distress with an urn of ashes after his stillbirth.
Jessie and Nate, both 32, decided to share the heartbreaking clips on TikTok after asking Jessie’s sister and brother-in-law to be godparents to their unborn son, Matthew.
In the footage, Jessie’s brother-in-law, clearly excited by the request, can be heard saying, “Good vibes surely were inside,” while pointing at a ‘Good vibes’ doormat.
The couple from Naples, Florida, went into the hospital just before Christmas. Tragically, their eagerly awaited son was stillborn on December 25.
Later footage from the same doorbell camera captures the heartbroken family returning home with Matthew’s ashes in an urn after his cremation.
Footage of Jessie and Nate leaving their home shows the elated couple beaming with joy after being asked.
Despite the magnitude of the tragedy they faced, Jessie says she still cherishes seeing her loved ones’ anticipation when asked to be Matthew’s godparents.
Jessie shared the two clips on her TikTok page, captioning her post: “Thank you, Ring. We look at this footage often. We are so thankful to have these moments captured. I hope one day to capture some happy moments too.”
Speaking with Newsweek, Jessie recounted how her water broke on Christmas Eve, turning what should have been the happiest day of her life into a nightmare. Hospital staff failed to find a heartbeat for her baby boy, with an ultrasound confirming he had died.
“Our world shattered as we grappled with the unimaginable loss, even as I continued to labor,” she told the outlet.
Matthew was born on Christmas morning. Nate added, “He was perfect in every physical sense. Ten fingers, ten toes, and a head full of thick, curly brown hair. His 9-pound, 5-ounce frame and 22.5 inches length embodied his robust presence, but despite his perfection, he did not draw breath.”
The couple spent the day cherishing their time with their baby as family members gathered around, singing and kissing their boy.
Jessie recounted that her water broke on Christmas Eve, transforming what should have been the happiest day of her life into a nightmare.
Hospital staff were unable to find a heartbeat for their baby boy, and an ultrasound confirmed he had died. The couple is pictured cradling Matthew after his stillbirth.
Jessie shared, “We sang to him, held him, and kissed his tiny fingers and forehead. Nate and I prayed over him one last time before saying our final goodbyes as he was prepared for the funeral home.”
She recalled the most difficult moment was watching their nurse cover his bassinet with a white sheet and wheel him away.
The footage they shared on their TikTok page has since been viewed over 4 million times.
Users who commented on the video also noticed that in the second clip, the doormat that said “Good Vibes” had been removed.
In response to one commenter, Jessie replied, “That was the first thing I asked my husband to throw away when we returned home.”
The couple spent the day cherishing their time with their baby as family members gathered around, singing and kissing their boy.
One person commented, “The mat being gone punched me in the gut. I’m so incredibly sorry for this huge loss, mama. Praying for healing.”
Another added, “Matty will forever be missed. The way y’all loved him was infinite. I’m so sorry for the loss of your baby.”
Jessie also told the outlet that their closest friends and family rallied around them after they returned home.
“We held a touching memorial service attended by nearly 300 people,” she said. “Matthew’s godparents were tasked with driving him home in his sweet little urn after the service.”
Following the tragic loss of their baby boy, the couple created Matty’s Corner, an in-person stillbirth support group.
Nate said the group helps “provide solace for parents who have experienced the profound loss of a child.”
