Dear Charlie…Letters to my son
By: David Corvi
This is Charlie’s story. On October 26, 2021, Charles Martin Corvi was stillborn, just 15 days shy of his due date. When he should have been taking his first steps, opening his Christmas presents, and playing with his older brothers, Charlie’s absence instead left an emptiness full of heartache. Charlie is not here to tell his story, so we must do it for him.
An excerpt from Letter 9
Dear Charlie,
Mom is pregnant. So much is running through my mind
right now. How do I tell you? Should I tell you? What do I
tell you? What does it mean for you? What does it mean for
us? It’s insane to think that just eight months ago, we were
eagerly anticipating your arrival. Now your mother’s pregnant
again, and you’re gone.
Like always, it’s multiple emotions at the same time. Joy
for the baby. Sorrow for your loss. Anger that this happened
to you. All of it is wrapped up in a big bow of anxiety and
stress about how this pregnancy will go.
Mom had her eight-week appointment a few days ago. I
parked in the same lot I parked in the night you were born.
I crossed the same walkway to the hospital. Sat in the same
waiting room where we last heard your heartbeat. Mom’s
doctor came into the exam room. We could immediately tell
he, too, was experiencing multiple emotions. He embraced us
and said congratulations.
We’ve become very close with him. Mom works with
his wife, who is also a doctor. He was there the night you
died when he came running into the triage room, out of
breath from sprinting across the hospital. He confirmed
your heart had stopped. He stayed with us the whole night
and took a nap in the room next door so he could be on
call to deliver you. He cried with us when you were born.
He and his wife attended your funeral. We soon learned
afterward that his daughter also lost a child in a similar
manner. He referred us to the therapist his family saw; she
has been wonderful for your mom and me. Now, here he
was, celebrating with us and comforting us as we waited
to listen for your sibling’s heartbeat. You’ve left such an
impact on so many people.
About David Corvi
David has spent the past 15+ years as an educational leader in some of our nation’s most underserved and disadvantaged communities. During those years, he served as a teacher, athletic coach, dean, principal, and consultant. Currently, David is a leadership Coach for Lynch Leadership Academy out of Boston College where he provides professional training and executive coaching to aspiring and sitting school administrators. As a Teach For America alum, David remains committed to the movement of educational equity in our nation, believing this is currently our most pressing social issue. David is also an avid rock climber, skier, and hiker. He resides in Ohio with his wife, three living boys, and Charlie.
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