Friends of Freddie
Help Us Break the Silence Around Pregnancy Loss
Our lives changed forever on September 8, 2022. At 38.5 weeks pregnant, during a routine ultrasound, we heard the words no parent should ever hear, our daughter, Winifred “Freddie,” no longer had a heartbeat. She was stillborn.
Stillbirth is a form of pregnancy loss that remains largely absent from public conversations. So rarely discussed, most people know nothing about it unless they’ve personally experienced the tragedy or walked beside someone who has. The pain of losing a child is devastating on its own. But the isolation, the not knowing why, the uncertainty of how to share the news, the silence that follows, makes the grief even heavier.
Silence is a constant companion in pregnancy loss. The silence in the ultrasound room. The silence after labor and delivery. The quiet halls of the hospital. The unspoken words from family and friends. This silence isn’t just the result of grief, it’s often rooted in lack of awareness. When we lost Freddie, most people didn’t know what to say. They didn’t know why it happened. They simply didn’t know. And that’s exactly what needs to change.
More than 24,000 stillbirths occur each year in the United States. That’s 24,000 babies. 24,000 families. 24,000 stories that too often go untold.
Friends of Freddie was created to break that silence.
Through our annual event (Random Acts For Freddie) and the development of Freddie’s Path, a spiritual nature trail within beautiful Camp Leif Ericson in Sioux Falls, we aim to foster a world where:
• Every pregnancy is supported and safe
• Every grieving family feels seen and held
•And pregnancy loss is no longer hidden in silence
By sharing Freddie’s story and the stories of others, we hope to normalize conversations about stillbirth and miscarriage, and build a compassionate community grounded in healing, understanding, and hope.
Until we can reduce and ultimately prevent pregnancy loss, we must make sure these babies are not forgotten. We must say their names. We must tell their stories.
100% of donations to the Friends of Freddie Foundation support our annual initiatives.
Each year, we will partner with a cause, charity, or organization that reflects the age and life stage Freddie would be in. In 2025, we are proud to support the Sioux Falls Family YMCA and Camp Leif Ericson by offering scholarships to the Little Vikes summer camp program. These scholarships will give 4- and 5-year-olds facing financial hardship the opportunity to experience the joy and wonder of summer camp, at no cost to their families.
Thank you for helping us honor Freddie by creating hope, connection, and impact for others.