We lost our beautiful son, Nathaniel.
This has been a very difficult time for our family.
Our son, Nathaniel Emmanuel Butler, was born on Thursday, May 29th, 2025 @ 2:28 PM, after a complicated emergency Caesarean procedure.
The neonatal intervention team went straight to work without delay to keep him stable after his delivery. Nathaniel was born at 24 weeks, so he weighed 1 lb. 6 oz. and he measured 10.25” long.
He was perfect in every way: ten long fingers on two tiny hands, ten tiny toes on two big feet, long torso and distinctive facial features, of course, fit right in with our family. He had his mom’s nose.
Our Nathaniel was a fighter. He fought really hard for his little life, as their neonatal team did everything they could to save him, but when they had done all that they could, his heart finally gave out. It was the longest 56 minutes I have ever witnessed as a father. I had my hands on him the whole time. I have never felt so helpless.
As his heart was failing, we had him baptized on the table where they worked on him. It was very sobering to hear those words of encouragement spoken over my son whom I had just barely met.
He has a birth certificate, he is our son, and our children’s brother forever. We had the wonderful opportunity of spending lots of quality time with Nathaniel over the past few days. We celebrate his life, however short it may have been, and he was a gift from God, just as his name indicated.
Now, we have to face giving him back to our God from whence he came, with grateful hearts, and knowing that the ring around what was to be his mobile will now be a halo around his little head. Our Nathaniel is with Jesus Christ now, and our Comforter assures us that we will see him again in the World to Come, where our Lord awaits us.
Our kids are all taking this whole situation really hard. They’re each very sad, and they all love their brother Nathaniel very, very much! Now we have six children, just one is in Heaven now, but our family faces the financial burden in having to make arrangements to both honor and bury him, and to say our final goodbyes. If you can find the courage in your hearts to give whatsoever you’re able to handle in this difficult time, please do so.
Nathaniel means “a gift from God”
Emmanuel means “God is with us”
Butler means “Devoted servant”
His name will live on. It matters that he was here.