Remembering Winnie, Finding Community

When Alison Bemis talks about her daughter Winnie, she speaks with a mix of sadness and hope that only a grieving parent can understand. 

In late October of 2024, Alison was pregnant with her third child. She and her husband Cory were preparing to welcome their first daughter to join sons Boston and Archie. One evening around 30 weeks pregnant, during an otherwise “very uneventful” pregnancy, Alison realized that she hadn’t felt her baby kick that day. After putting her boys to bed, Alison went to the hospital, where her worst fears were confirmed—her unborn daughter’s heart was no longer beating.  

Despite the baby, whom Alison and Cory named Winnie, growing well up to that date, doctors weren’t able to indicate a cause of death. That Saturday, November 2, Alison was induced and delivered Winnie. Though devastating, Alison remembers that day with immense gratitude. Surrounded by compassionate nurses, social workers, family, and support staff, Alison and Cory were given precious time with their daughter. They held her, bathed her, took family photos, and Cory danced with her on a day they lovingly refer to as their “Day with Winnie.”  

“As heartbreaking as it was, it was such a beautiful day with her,” Alison said. “It was special to be able to hold her and have family come and meet her too. Those little moments and things you can do with your baby that not everyone gets, we got. You hang onto those memories, and there were some beautiful moments in the midst of a nightmare.” 

After wading through their grief for over six months, Alison and Cory found The Walk for Child Loss. Their team, Winnie’s Wings, was among the top teams in number of donors. What may seem like a small accomplishment to some helped Alison ease an all-too-common fear among parents.  

“It was just so touching to me because it reminds you that there are people out there wanting to support in a tangible way,” Alison said. “There are so many people that are going to remember her, which is the biggest fear for a lot of parents: Will anyone remember my child?” 

Winnie’s Wings had around a dozen family and friends walking to honor Winnie. But even outside of their own team, Alison and Cory found a sense of community.  

“It’s very meaningful and uplifting in a sense that we’re all thinking of our lost loved ones and we’re in it together,” Alison said. “Nothing is forced. Everyone is just there walking for their loved one, but walking is just as much for the person next to them. What a beautiful thing.” 

They are looking forward to participating in this year’s Walk for Child Loss on May 30. 

Later that summer, their community expanded even further when they attended a Child Loss Retreat at Faith’s Lodge in Danbury, WI. Through conversations, painting birdhouses, and sharing meals, they were able to exist in a space where grief didn’t need to be explained. 

“We had a wonderful time and made friends that we still keep in touch with,” Alison said. “There were a lot of meaningful discussions, but something I actually loved doing the most was painting birdhouses. … It’s just nice to have that community to know what you’ve been through. There’s a deeper level of connectedness that opens up opportunity for lasting friendships and just feeling less alone in it all.” 

Through their experience at The Walk for Child Loss, the Child Loss Retreat, and even last year’s Northern Lights Gala, Alison and Cory found something many grieving parents struggle to find after loss: people who truly understand. 

“These things are nice to be a part of through the journey of grief that will never end,” Alison said. “It can be scary, but it can also be healing and a beautiful way to honor a loved one. I’m just so grateful that these opportunities are available so I can continue to work on my grief and by doing that, keeping my love for Winnie always alive.”