On January 23, 2026 at 6:55AM our baby boy, Tate Walker, was born and went to heaven. He was 1lb 1oz and 10.24 inches long. We received devastating news after a routine anatomy scan and a visit with a specialist that our baby had a condition called bilateral renal agenesis, a rare, fatal congenital defect (1 in 4,000–5,000 births) where a baby is born without both kidneys. It causes severe oligohydramnios (low amniotic fluid), leading to underdeveloped lungs. Our baby had no chance of survival outside the womb, and I was induced on January 22, 2026. It was the most painful experience leaving the hospital without our baby.
We were, however, able to leave the hospital with a weighted bear of remembrance that weighs just the size of our baby Tate. The doctor and nurses spent time curating our bear to measure at his exact weight and stitched him up with love to gift to us before leaving the hospital empty handed. Receiving this bear during the hardest moment of grief our hearts could feel, felt so profound and full of love. Our bear means more to us than we could ever put into words, and was even brought to our wedding to be included in our family photos. Our bear sits on a shelf in our bedroom, where we can see it every morning and night and think of Tate. It brings us so much peace to know we have this tangible item to look at and hold and think of him.
Additionally, thanks to the Cuddle Cot provided at Valley Medical Center we were able to spend several hours holding Tate and looking at all his beautiful features before they were going to be taken away from us. We spent time taking photos and creating hand and footprints for us to take home. The biggest gift the cuddle cot provided was extra time to preserve the picture of Tate we were creating in our memory to last forever. There would never be enough time, but we feel incredibly thankful for the care and love we received from the staff at the hospital who went above and beyond to support us during the hardest moment of our life. We are thankful for the advancement of technology and what the Cuddle Cot was able to provide our family.
My doctor shared with me information about Noah's Blessing and recommended I read their story. I did immediately. I felt a sense of connection and felt called to try and help other families during the hardest moment of their lives, just as our family had been helped. We look forward to working with Noah's Blessing and this community and will think of our baby Tate while working to help other families.
Renee and Brendan, Tate's Parents
