"Wheel Him Over to Mom" — Lili Kovatchev on the Loss of Her Son Kieran, and Motherhood After Loss
Lili Kovatchev is a mom of three boys living in Toronto with her husband Greg. In February 2023, her son Kieran was born after a precipitous labor and ambulance ride, his umbilical cord wrapped four times around his neck. He was diagnosed with HIE, and the next day, Lili and Greg made the decision to take him off life support. Two years later, her son Cillian was born by planned C-section, delivered by the same OB who delivered Kieran.
We talk about:
A precipitous labor that ended in an ambulance ride to the hospital
Kieran's HIE diagnosis and the impossible decision to say goodbye
Telling her older son Declan that his brother had died, and helping him grieve as a four-year-old
Choosing the same OB who delivered Kieran to deliver her rainbow baby, Cillian
What it's like to hold joy and grief in the same breath, even years later
The friends who showed up, and the ones who didn't
This episode is a reminder that grief and love can live in the same body at once, and that even years later, both continue to grow.
Get to Know Lili:
Lili Kovatchev lives in Toronto with her husband Greg, celebrating ten years married this year. She works in marketing and advertising, and is mom to three boys: Declan, her oldest; Kieran, who was born in February 2023 and passed away the following day; and Cillian, her youngest.
Instagram: @lilikovatchev
Kieran's Hospital Fund for NICU Babies @ Sinai Health: https://give.supportsinai.ca/fundraisers/lilikovatchev
