To Our Valued Supporters and Community Members,

As 2022 draws to a close, I wanted to take a moment to say thank you for your incredible support.  Red Tree Foundation launched on September the 1st to solely support grieving parents following the death of a child. To provide our unique support and bereavement services, we rely on people like you - compassionate people who are deeply committed to our Organisation and give so generously, time and time again.

That’s why I need to ask for your kindness once more today, so we can continue our crucial work, providing updated education regarding Safe Infant Sleep, and ongoing support, care and love for families’ like Bronlee’s.

Bronlee William Kotua Tau was born into the loving arms of his mother, Dee Jaye and father, Jayden at a healthy 9.2 pounds.  Dee-Jaye had known from an early age that her greatest goal in life was to become a mother, and following a miscarriage, the love and warmth that Bronlee’s birth brought was everything she had ever dreamt of.

I’ve asked Dee-Jaye and Jayden to tell you their story of their perfect baby boy and how tragedy stripped them of their dreams.

“We both wanted a little boy and organised a surprise reveal over face time with our close family so we could all find out together. The moment the confetti popped, and blue droplets feathered to the ground, we just jumped for joy. We were so happy”.

“Bronlee was an amazing baby from the day he was born, one of the happiest babies I had ever seen. We did a lot of things with him in his first 17 weeks of life! He spent every week at the Gardens Recreation Centre for basketball with our ‘second family’ as basketball is, and always will be a big part out of life. Bronlee loved watching the games, as he smiled and giggled at the players on the court. He started swimming lessons at 8 weeks of age and even had a sneaky lick of chocolate and ice cream. It’s all these little memories we cherish”.

“We had the best 17 weeks with Bronlee making memories, and always wish we did so much more…. but you never think your baby is going to pass away.”

“Knowing I wasn’t there for his final moments absolutely destroys me every single day as I constantly wish I was holding him, or even better, that I may have been able to change the course of his life.”

No parent should have to experience the heartbreak of wishing to make memories that can never be. Our compassionate grief counsellors are there to help parents from the moment those dreams shatter.  

Your thoughtful gift will help us keep this service going right through into the new year - will you please help us?

MAKE YOUR DONATION HERE : https://dpgo.io/bronlees-story

Needing urgent surgery for a personal health issue, Dee-Jaye was admitted into hospital on Friday the 23^rd of August.  Having slept well and preparing for surgery, she checked in with her partner Jayden to say, ‘Good Morning’ and see how her precious boy, Bronlee slept overnight without her being present. Jayden did not respond to her message. Without any warning, Dee Jaye’s life was about to take a dramatic turn.

“At 9am the nurse came into my hospital room and told me I had a visitor and I needed to go with her. I did think it was a little odd because visiting hours weren’t until 10am but I followed the nurse despite these thoughts. The nurse then took me into a room where I walked in to see my mum standing there crying and Jayden sitting down crying. I didn’t see Bronlee. Instantly, I felt that maybe he had been hurt or injured. I did not think he had died; I mean I don’t think anyone would think that. But then my mum told me “Dee-Jaye, Bronlee stopped breathing in his sleep last night, I’m so sorry.”

Can you imagine the intense grief and disbelief that gripped Dee-Jaye in that moment - the terror that her baby boy had died?

Bronlee’s Daddy, Jayden, lived the experience in a different way to Dee-Jaye and recalls on the morning of Saturday the 24^th of August, he knew something was terribly wrong.

“From the moment I looked at you I knew something wasn’t right. My stomach dropped. I called for help like I never had before…. I just wanted our baby boy to be okay. Tears rolling down my face, in complete hysterics but trying to stay as composed as I could. I remember trying everything I could to bring Bronlee back until emergency services arrived. That 2 and a half minutes felt like an eternity.

I remember being pushed out the room and I just collapsed feeling like I failed Bronlee, failed his mother and failed as a parent.

I just remember feeling so numb….it was hard to talk, breathe and even move, but I still had to tell Dee-Jaye. I had to tell Bronlee’s mother that he's no longer with us. I remember getting to the hospital and being taken to another room where she was brought in. I tried to talk but nothing came out. I felt like just a shell and nothing else.” 

You can make sure that every parent in South Australia who needs us following the sudden and unexpected death of their child can speak with a trained grief counsellor, by sending your very kind gift this Christmas.

YOU CAN DONATE HERE : https://dpgo.io/bronlees-story

When the referral came through for Dee-Jaye and Jayden, our professional counsellor was there the next day for the grief-stricken parents.

Being there at that critical time not only provided instant comfort for Bronlee’s parents, but also Dee-Jaye’s mother.  The care and support provided by our counsellor’s extends beyond the parents as we know the ripple effect of child death and the number of people affected by one loss.

“I remember not really wanting to talk…. just sitting on the couch holding onto a pillow I had for Bronlee. But I felt instantly comfortable around our counsellor. Despite not having much to say on that first day after Bronlee’s death, just knowing we had that support for not only myself, but for my family helped.

We continued this journey with our counsellor for the next year, just talking about Bronlee and other events going on in our lives as it’s not easy to “return back to normal” after the loss of a child. But having our counsellor share our conversations and moments together helped us get through it all that little bit easier.”

“I know we will continue to attend events and always stay in touch with the Red Tree Foundation and SIDS and Kids SA because I think it helps us honour our Bronlee and feel that little bit better”

I know you care deeply about families like Bronlee’s - families who have suffered an unbearable loss. You can make a difference for every family we support today, by making a kind donation towards our Christmas Appeal. While any amount is gratefully received, you might also like to consider…

• $50 donations help fund our Safe Sleep Information Phone Line to reassure and educate anxious parents.
• With a kind gift of $120, you’ll help fund a one-hour grief counselling session with a professional counsellor, for parents like Dee-Jaye and Jayden.
• If you choose to make an incredibly generous gift of $350, you will fund 2 home visits for any parent needing the critical assistance and support of a professional grief counsellor.

WILL YOU PLEASE DONATE TODAY?

Dee-Jaye and Jayden have since advocated for the Red Tree Foundation and the Safe Sleep Education services provided by SIDS and Kids SA.

“I love to talk about Bronlee, show him off and just raise awareness that SIDS is real and should be taken seriously. When Bronlee passed away I never really understood what SIDS was, never investigated safe sleeping options, and while I wish I knew, I can use what I now know and Bronlee’s death to help raise awareness as much as possible to those around us or to those who read our story.”

It is an honour to share with you Dee-Jaye and Jayden’s story of heartbreaking loss…. but also, their story of hope. With the ongoing help of the Red Tree Foundation, Dee-Jaye and Jayden have continued to grow their beautiful family, and Bronlee has 2 younger brothers, Bentlee & Conley, who love him and will grow to understand how special their family truly is.

“We as a family are so glad that an Organisation like this exists because the love and support they give us is beyond anything you can payback and we will forever be grateful and appreciative for everything they have done for us.” 

You can help us. Your generosity will mean that next year, we can continue to provide parents with information on how to safely sleep infants, take more calls from anxious parents, and help grieving parents step their way through life with the support and care provided by our bereavement service.

Wishing you and your loved ones all the joy of the Season.

Yours sincerely,

Liza Jankowski

Chief Executive Officer

Red Tree Foundation and SIDS and Kids SA