When my daughter, Adalynn Marian Peregrim, came into the world quietly on January 25, 2016, I left Yale New Haven Hospital carrying a memory box lovingly given to me by the compassionate nurses who cared for us. Inside were the tiny gown she wore, her footprints, photographs, and other precious keepsakes from the brief time we shared together. Today, that memory box remains one of my most treasured possessions. It holds the only tangible memories I have of my daughter and the moments we spent together.

At my six-week follow-up appointment, I remember asking my doctor about the memory box. Who made the tiny gown? Where did the keepsakes come from? How did it all come together? I learned that the nurses assembled the boxes using donated items. That conversation stayed with me long after I left the office.

I couldn't stop thinking about the families who would one day experience the same unimaginable loss. I wanted them to have something as meaningful as the memory box I had received. In mid-2017, I began searching for items that could be included in memory boxes of my own. After months of gathering supplies and carefully planning each detail, I delivered my first five memory boxes to Yale New Haven Hospital in December 2017.

From the beginning, Adalynn's Gift has been a true family effort. My mom, an incredibly talented seamstress, began sewing the tiny gowns that have become a hallmark of our memory boxes. Each one is lovingly handcrafted and often adorned with lace, flowers, delicate embroidery, or other thoughtful details. Some gowns hold even deeper meaning—they are sewn from pieces of her wedding dress, my First Communion veil, and fabrics from other cherished milestones in our family's lives. She also designed beautiful gowns for baby boys, complete with tiny vests and bow ties.

In those early days, I didn't know how to knit or crochet, so my sister lovingly made the first hats that accompanied the gowns. Inspired to contribute even more, I taught myself to use a knitting loom in 2018 and learned to crochet in 2020. Today, every item included in our memory boxes is chosen with the hope that it will bring comfort, preserve precious memories, and remind families that their baby will never be forgotten.

Over the years, Adalynn's Gift has grown far beyond what I could have imagined. Talented seamstresses, crochet-ers, knitters, quilters, and other generous crafters have joined this mission, donating countless hours to create beautiful gowns, hats, blankets, burial pouches, and keepsakes. Their kindness and generosity have allowed us to expand our reach, provide memory boxes to more hospitals, and support thousands of grieving families. Every handmade item is a tangible expression of compassion—a reminder that complete strangers cared enough to honor a baby they never met.

As more hospitals began requesting memory boxes, I wanted families to know the story behind them. In December 2018, I created a Facebook page and gave this mission a name: Adalynn's Gift.

I often think about the person who lovingly made the gown my daughter wore. I never had the chance to thank them or learn who they were. That experience inspired me to include information about Adalynn's Gift in every memory box we provide. I want each family to know that every gown, every hat, and every keepsake was created with love by someone who understands the significance of those precious moments. Most of all, I want grieving parents to know they are not alone.

Creating these memory boxes has become my way of honoring Adalynn's life and carrying her legacy forward. Every box delivered is a gift given in her memory—a way for her love to reach another family during one of the hardest moments they will ever face.

As Adalynn's Gift continued to grow, I wanted to expand our reach beyond social media. In the summer of 2020, I created this website to help connect with more hospitals, volunteers, donors, and supporters, ensuring that more families experiencing pregnancy or infant loss have access to the comfort of a memory box.

What began with five memory boxes has grown into a mission that has provided comfort to thousands of grieving families. Every box represents a baby deeply loved, a family forever changed, and the enduring reminder that every life—no matter how brief—matters.

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Emily Peregrim

Founder of Adalynn’s Gift