NORFOLK, Va. — What started as one mother's heartbreak has transformed into a beacon of hope for families facing unimaginable loss. Heather Wilson, founder of Kennedy's Angel Gowns, has been recognized as a News 3 Everyday Hero for her nonprofit that provides burial garments and support to families who have lost babies.
I first met the Wilson family in 2018, watching as they carefully transformed donated wedding dresses into tiny, beautiful garments for heaven-bound babies. The nonprofit, named after Wilson's daughter Kennedy who was stillborn in 2009, has grown far beyond what Wilson initially imagined.
"To give them a gown, it lets them feel like 'my baby is just as important as anyone's baby,'" Wilson said.
The grief over losing Kennedy remained even after the Wilsons were blessed with another daughter a year later. But that pain became purpose when Wilson couldn't shake one particular memory.
"It always stuck with me that my mom and husband couldn't find anything to bury her in," Wilson said.
In 2016, Wilson created Kennedy's Angel Gowns to ensure no other family would face that same struggle. The nonprofit provides burial garments, funeral programs, and "cuddle cots" – devices that slow down the decaying process so parents can spend more time with their baby in the hospital before having to let go for good. They've donated several cuddle cots to Sentara Health hospitals across Hampton Roads.
In 2019, Sentara Norfolk General Hospital dedicated a butterfly room, a bereavement space for families who've lost their babies. It was there that I recently reunited with Wilson to discuss how far the organization has come.
"What was once just pain, agonizing pain, to now being able to bless so many families in different ways than we thought," Wilson said.
During our reunion, Wilson received a surprise – recognition as our newest Everyday Hero. Sentara's leaders lined the hallway to celebrate her, including their bereavement coordinator Deborah Floyd.
"When you lose a child, it's tragic, and you are like the light in that tragic [moment]," Floyd said to Wilson. "You bring a little bit of hope and help to our patients."
Sue Mitchell, the head of Sentara's Family Maternity Center, says Wilson's mission makes healing possible.
"We recognize and we honor these women who experience this and have a way of being able to feel like they're not alone," Mitchell said.
The surprises continued when Stacy Daniel, who nominated Wilson, joined via FaceTime. Daniel lost her firstborn at 10 days old in 2013 and found support through Wilson's organization.
"I've always been involved because she was there for me," Daniel said.
Our community partner Southern Bank celebrated Wilson with a $300 gift card, but the biggest surprise came when her husband Demitri Wilson took a brief break from his firefighting duties in Suffolk to honor his wife.
"She's definitely my everyday hero. She is probably one of the most selfless people that I know," he said.
"When we did lose our baby girl, [we thought about] what can we do to give back to others? How do we honor Kennedy, because although [what we went through was] very, very tragic, we wanted triumph out of tragedy and we wanted to make sure that no one else has to walk through this journey alone," he said.
Heather Wilson reflected on the recognition with characteristic humility.
"All the emotions. Grateful for being recognized. I don't do it for recognition. I do it because I care. And I have a little angel motivating me," Wilson said.
The organization continues to grow, with families able to walk alongside Wilson and help others. Kennedy's Angel Gowns is hosting a 5K Angel Run on Saturday, October 11 at Virginia Wesleyan. The nonprofit also accepts donations to help families cover funeral costs.
