Sarah Herron and her fiancé, Dylan Brown, are mourning the loss of the infant they called their “IVF miracle.”
The former “Bachelor” and “Bachelor in Paradise” star shared the devastating news with her fans and followers on Instagram.
“On January 28th, at 24 weeks old, our beautiful son Oliver Brown was born,” Herron wrote. “He passed away in his dad’s arms shortly after. There are no words for the magnitude of loss and pain we’re experiencing. It’s beautiful and simultaneously tragic. He had my nose and his dad’s mouth and long fingers.”
Alongside the news, the 36-year-old shared a set of photos that led with an image of her holding Oliver against her chest as Brown kissed her forehead. The other photos spanned the joy-filled days of Herron’s pregnancy as they anticipated parenthood and concluded with a heartbreaking look at the couple’s grief.
"Oliver, our IVF miracle defied so many odds and fought through so many hard milestones to be here, but the higher powers still had other plans for the three of us," the post continued. "Our time together was short, but we are grateful for the days we had with Oliver in my belly. He has taught us so much about the integrity of life, love and death. Oliver filled our home and hearts with so much love and most importantly, optimism."
She added, "The stars aligned to create Baby Oliver with a deep, meaningful purpose bigger than we’ll ever understand. His body was small, but his legacy will always be larger than life to us."
Now Herron clings to the memories she has of Oliver while he was still in the womb.
"Oliver swam with sea turtles, he kept me company while I recovered from a broken knee, and he loved his dad’s cooking," she wrote. "Most of all, Oliver loved his morning routine of laying heart to heart with his brother, Rio, on my lap."
Rio is the family's dog, who Herron once described as a protective "stage five clinger" throughout her pregnancy.
Herron went on to explain that, despite the enormity of the couple’s grief, there are aspects of Oliver’s short life that bring them comfort.
“While our hearts are shattered beyond comprehension, we are comforted knowing that our son’s soul only ever knew love and will not suffer in a body that wasn’t built for this life,” she wrote. “We’ll never understand the cruelty of it all, but through the darkness, Oliver remains so so bright. We love you so much, baby boy. You will never be replaced. You are so perfect and awesome.”
In the comments that followed Herron’s post, fellow members of Bachelor Nation shared heartfelt messages of support.
"Oh sweet Sarah. I’m so sorry," wrote Emily Maynard, who appeared on Season 15 of “The Bachelor” and Season Eight of “The Bachelorette." "I truly have no words. Oliver will remain a shining light in this world for you and Dylan. I wish there was more I could do or say. I will keep you both in my prayers and pray specifically for Gods grace that surpasses all understanding. I’m so beyond sorry ... my heart is absolutely broken for you. Every time I logged on to Instagram I was so exited to see an update from you. I know it’s hard to believe now, but god is going to redeem your story in such a big way. I promise. ❤️❤️❤️"
Catherine Lowe, who appeared alongside Herron on season 17 of “The Bachelor” and went on to marry star Sean Lowe, added a comment that read, "Oh Sarah, I am so very sorry. I wish I could hug you right now ❤️ what a heartbreaking experience for you, precious mama. Sending you so much love and praying for you both right now ❤️❤️❤️"
And former “Bachelor” host Chris Harrison, added a sentiment of his own, simply writing, “God bless you all Sarah. We love you ❤️”