Hope From John Ellis

News 25’s Taylor Rubach sat down with the Naff family and tells us their story and the benefit they’ve created in memory of their son, John Ellis.

“Grieving it’s so hard because the world is still continuing around you as normal but in your world, you’re heartbroken. ”
– Elisabeth Naff

Lucas and Elizabeth Naff lost their baby John Ellis nearly a year ago when she developed cholestasis during her third trimester.

“Why we started is to bring awareness to this condition because we had never heard of it before and a lot of people still have it so hopefully, this will help someone else that may develop symptoms of cholestasis and just try to bring this condition to light.”
– Elisabeth Naff

But the Naff’s wanted to do more than bring awareness to a devastating condition, they wanted to give back all in memory of the child they would never see grow up.
They founded hope from John Ellis through the one wing foundation for other grieving parents, but also for themselves.

“When you are going through grief, it’s important to kind of take advantage of those opportunities that you’re going through and try to help make a difference to someone else that is going through the same thing and by doing so that will allow you to heal a little bit more and will allow you to be a little bit stronger.”
– Elisabeth Naff

Now they’re asking the South Mississippi Community to help in their efforts to buy a special cradle they didn’t have when they said goodbye to their baby boy…a cuddle cot.

“It’s a cooling system and it allows you to have a longer time with the baby and create that bond and that moment cause you don’t have very long with the baby so it’s just a very special medical tool you can use to enhance the bonding. it creates an opportunity for closure.”
– Elisabeth Naff

“Having that piece of equipment will allow them to have better plans and preparations for families that go through that loss.”
– Lucas Naff

For a family who now seems so strong, they say it wasn’t always this easy. It’s taken their family and support groups like one at mosaic church to make a broken family find purpose again.

“If you are parents or someone who has experienced stillbirth, you are not alone.”
– Elisabeth Naff

In Gulfport, Taylor Rubach News 25.

Now here’s how you can help the Naff family.
On January 6th, which would have been John Ellis’s 1st birthday, they’re holding a benefit at the Beau Rivage to raise money for the one wing foundation and bring a cuddle cot to a local hospital.
Tickets are $45 dollars and 10 for kids..
You can purchase them online at onewingfoundation.org/hopefromjohnellis