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Western New York family collecting book donations in honor of late daughter

A family in Western New York is honoring their daughter's memory by bringing comfort to families during tough times.

BUFFALO, N.Y. — October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month.

A family in Western New York is honoring their daughter's memory by leaving a big impact. 

On November 29th, 2023, the Zelazny family lost their daughter Maya. Madi Zelazny, Maya's mom, said, "We lost our daughter Maya at 16 weeks four days. There was no reason why. My water broke and we delivered her and she was too young to survive."

Reading is personal to the Zelanzy family. Matthew Zelanzy is her dad. He said, "we found comfort reading books to Maya when we were in the hospital." 

Something as small as a book created comfort for their family. 

Madi Zelanzy said, "We were in the hospital getting to pick out a few books and he would read to her as she's right there in his lap." They were able to keep those books. It's what inspired Maya's mission. 

Madi Zelanzy said, "There's usually stickers on each donated book. Every single book was donated in memory of a lost child and that just like spearhead from our grief, trying to turn it into a positive keep her memory alive."

The family is asking for book donations. The hope is to put a cart full of them in bereavement rooms in hospitals. 

Madi Zelanzy said, "Keeping her memory alive is helping all of the lost babies to us. Those books - it seems so little and trivial, but it literally is everything."

In honor of Maya's birthday, the books will be going to Mercy Hospital of Buffalo. "There's a lot of people who are trying to change the world. We are one of them. We are small. But, we are going to grow as big as we can for our daughter."

It's a way to preserve Maya's memory and also other children.

"Our goal is not to have Maya's name, but every other lost child," Madi Zelanzy explained.  The Zelanzy's want people to know there are resources out there. 

For more information including those resources you can go to visit Star Legacy Foundation, Western Perinatal Bereavement Network, Footprints on the Heart, Guys & Grief Podcast, The Clark & Delilah Project, Noah's Helping Hands Project

Here is where you can donate to their mission. 

"We are going to collect them all and donate them to help comfort other families going through this most tragic time. 

Types of books we have received previously:

-baby books (stray away from anything welcoming though) 

-kid's story books (ex: Disney story collection, bedtime story collections)

-devotion books for grief parents 

-books about child loss for parents

-books for the sibling of loss 

Maya’s Mission - Amazon Gift List - Maya’s Mission - Amazon Gift List - www.amazon.com/registries. "

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