Cooper Phillips Hess
Our sweet little Cooper passed away this evening at 9:26 pm. This afternoon at Scottish Rite we found out that Cooper's intestines had formed a large mass and all of it was essentially dead. He would never be able to feed and grow. All of the doctors told us how amazing it was that he had survived as long as he did, it proves how strong he was. We had him baptised and transported back to Gwinnett to be with his brother. Carson and Cooper got to lay next to each other for the first time since they were born. Andrew and I were holding him and let him know that he did not need to fight anymore. He has fought so hard since the day he was born and we were so proud of him. We told him how much we loved him since the day we knew he was coming into this world. He deserved to rest now. Please know how much we appreciate your thoughts and prayers.
Comments
Please know you are surrounded in prayer...God bless you all
My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. All of you are in my heart and Cooper will never be forgotten. He was a fighter and a cute one a that. He was one lucky little boy to have such loving and strong parents.
"Love is what will carry you through these difficult times. Please know there are those here who will hold you up for as long as you need. Just hold out your hand and know that we are here."
-anonymous
Wishing You Peace,
Kristen St. Joseph & Family
Our thoughts and prayers are with you, Andrew and Carson.
If we can do anything please let us know.
Douglas and Nancy Bendinger
This is Krissie Clark Daughtry (one of Kathleen Musgrove's friends from Auburn). I have been keeping up with the boys for quite some time now. I am so sorry and absolutely cannot believe that baby Cooper couldn't hang on. I can't imagine the pain you must be going through, but please know that you are in my prayers. I am crying with you... Cooper is safe with his heavenly Father now.
We Love You,
Bridget, Billy, Isabelle and Grace
A life cut short,
I instinctively ask why,
Why did he leave us?
Why did God let him die?
Sometimes there are no explanations,
No answers to the “why”,
No opportunities to reason,
No easy way to say goodbye.
He taught us lessons,
What it means to be brave,
To have so much strength,
Only love to us he gave.
We’ll forever have the memories,
Of this tiny fearless man,
Who now can watch his brother,
And carry out their plan.
Exactly what that plan is,
Only time will tell,
A sweet little angel in heaven,
To keep the family well.
Love,
Cousin Linsey
Our hearts are broken over Cooper. Lisa and I, and all of the good people who have been sending their prayers and best wishes, and all of the people who have been following along from afar -- we all grieve for Cooper. We are at a loss on how to offer solace except to say we love you and we care. Cooper was a shooting star who caused all of us to stop in our lives and reflect on how precious life is, however fleeting. He is perfect in our memory and will always remain so.
Love,
Jeff
God bless you all.
We're so sad to hear the news about Cooper. Lucky Carson will forever have his spirit with him.
We'll continue our thoughts and prayers for all of you.
I am so sorry to hear about your sweet little Cooper. He has fought so hard in his short little life. You have been in our thoughts and prayers and we will continue to pray for Carson.
I can't even imagine what you are going through.
Sincerely,
Scott and Casey Holmes
I am so sorry for your loss. Words cannot express how we all feel right now and I cannot even imagine what you are going through. My heart goes out to you and your whole family. Cooper made such an impact on our lives and touched so many people. He will never be forgotten.
May God be with you during this time of sorrow and give you strength with each passing day.
Thinking of you,
Joelle Woody and Family
"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us." -Emerson
With Love,
Summer and Gary Vaughan
My heart hurts for what I know you must be feeling. I pray God surrounds you, Andrew, and Carson with the peace he has given to Cooper. Let that be your hope and encouragement.
This is a tender, tender time for your family. Try to be still and soak up the love all your friends and family cover you in.
Kimberly Brown
I am so heartbroken for your family this morning. I have been following this blog from the beginning. Please know that your Duncan Creek family is thinking of you today and in the days ahead.
Love,
Jennifer Dalton
(fmr 2nd grade Jackson)
My heart hurts for you. I just can't fathom how you must feel. I guess, what a comfort it is that little Cooper is happy and playing in heaven with the angels! I will keep praying for you all.
Love,
Lindsay Draney
We are deeply sadden to hear of
sweet Cooper's passing. He was such
a little fighter but we know he's
a precious angel in God's arms now.
You have our deepest sympathy and
God Bless you all in your time of
sorrow. Love, Joe & Sandy Powell
and Family
I was so incredibly sad to hear about Cooper this morning. My thoughts and prayers are with you during this difficult time. Little Cooper is now in a peaceful place....
Please let me know if I can do anything for you.
Love,
Krissie Robinson
I am so sorry to hear about your precious little baby. Please know you are in so many thoughts and prayers. Take care and hold tight to each other!
Sincerely,
Katrina (Fox) Restrepo
(former Jackson teacher)
May you feel God's presence - Remember, the hands that welcomed little Cooper into heaven are the same strong hands that hold you now.
My love and prayers and sympathy,
Beth Vaughan
I am so sorry for your loss. What a strong fight little Cooper put up, you both must be very proud. He must be much happier now that he is in heaven. I always find comfort in the fact that we have loved ones watching over us and keeping us safe. Please don't hesitate to call me if you need anything or just need to talk.
Your family will continue to be in my thoughts and prayers.
love, april
I have been following your story through Ashley and I want you to know that you, Andrew, and the boys have been in my prayers from the very beginning. I am devastated that you lost little Cooper but at least now he can rest in peace. I hope all of these hard times will make you and Andrew stronger and will give you the strength you need to be there for little Carson. I will keep you all in my prayers.
Shelby Sheehan
Amy and Lori
love, Eileen's FIF small group
Courtney & Andy Whitworth
I am heartbroken. Cooper has been quite the warrior and you have been so supportive and loving of him every step of the way. I know that he felt your love, prayers, strength and determination. What a fighter! Please know you are all in my thoughts and prayers during this difficult time. I can not imagine what you are going through. I know that God will provide you the strength and comfort to make it through this time. He has given you a wonderful and supportive family and community that will continue to hold you up in prayer. God bless you.
Love, Megann and David Cain
Bob and Hallie
I am so sorry to hear about your loss. What a fighter little Cooper was. You and your family continue to be in my prayers.
Rebekah Morgan Sanford
We have tried so hard to find the right words to say, and we were all relieved to see that Lindsey F. was able to express what we all are feeling in the beautiful poem she wrote. It is hard to believe that in a short period of time Cooper and Carson have become such an important part of our family, and even though we only knew Cooper through words and pictures we loved him and will truly miss him. We are sending every bit of love and happiness your way.
Uncle Stan, Aunt Linda, Jon, Lindsey, and Shane
I am so deeply saddened to hear about sweet Cooper.
I have a friend who recently lost her son of 17 years. Although the ages were much different...I can't imagine the grief any less. I took a passage from her blog about her son that struck a note with me...
How many times, then and now, I have thought of the line from Isaiah, "And the little child shall lead them." For we were led by Cate, reminded of joy by Cate, and blessed with Cate.
From Saving Graces by Elizabeth Edwards
Let Carson be your "Cate" as my friend's remaining children have been for them. He will give you the courage & strength to go on. He is truly a blessing.
Much love to you all,
Christy
Love,
Allison & Joel Solomon
When I read your update I felt like someone had knocked the wind out of me. I can't believe this....it's the most cruel hand to be dealt. During my time living at the Ronald McDonald House I watched many families go through what you are experiencing now. I was always in awe of their strength and grace. The love of your family and your faith in God will get you through this. Cooper touched so many lives during his short time on this earth. We should all be reminded of how fragile and precious life is. What a warrior he was. Please know that I am praying that the Lord will wrap his loving arms tightly around you and grant you peace.
I still can't believe this is true....
Lots of love and prayers,
Caroline
Love,
Allison & Joel Solomon
I pray that you and your family will continue to stay strong and look after each other. If you desire to find others that are riding in this same boat as you, check out www.mend.org. They helped us in many ways.
We have a boy in heaven too and know that like yours, he will be held in the hands of the Lord until we get the chance to hold him ourselves. I can imagine our boy was the first in line looking for a new friend upon his arrival.
A song that got us through the days , but brought a lot of tears is "Glory Baby" by Watermark.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18
My heart hurts right now for you. Please know that we are thinking of you and praying for you during this time.
Love,
Richard, Betsy & Katie
I hope that the thoughts and prayers of the many who have been following your blog and care so very much about you will lift you up.
Love,
Kathy Smith
I've heard about your boys thru Michelle Hayes and our church has been praying for all of you since before the boys were born. My heart broke this morning when I received the news about baby Cooper. I will continue to keep Carson in our prayers, as he still has a fight ahead of him.
Love In Christ,
Travis, Sharon, Andrew, Mathew and Jonathan Moon
(Friendship Baptist Church - Buford)
Our thoughts and prayers are with you. Cooper was such a little angel and his courage and strenght, along with that of his brother, always amazed us. May God take him in His arms and give him peace.
Our hearts ache for all of you. Please know that we are here for whatever you may need!
Renata and KC
god bless
uncle mike
My heart aches for you both! Know you are in my thoughts and prayers. I pray God heals your hearts. You now have a sweet angel watching over you always!
Love,
Karen Dougherty
I don't know that we can say anything that hasn't already been said, but that we're thinking of you. Cooper was a tough little kid, and he'll be missed -- glad he got to spend even a little time with his brother.
Love,
Randy & Lauren
Please know my thoughts are with you all. I'm praying for your family.
Lisa
Kris, Chris, Brian, and Brett
So many of us belong to the circle of friends your little Cooper and Carson have created since their arrival. We rejoice at the good news and are disheartened at the bad. Today, we are all grieving for baby Cooper and tears are flowing in so many households. We are comforted to know that a precious angel is at peace and without pain. What a brave little fighter! He and brother Carson have touched so many lives. My heart aches for you and your families. You'll find solace in little Carson's grip around your finger as we've witnessed in so many pictures. Just sit and rock.
Prayers Always,
Your mom's friend,
Thelma Lewis
There are just no words for this. Nothing to do but mourn the loss of this sweet life. We grieve for you, and for the knowledge that we won't have the chance to know this amazing child you brought into the world.
May you find strength in the love of all those around you, near and far, to get through the coming days.
All our Love,
Rachel and James
Much love,
Katrina Blankenship
There are no words to express our sorrow for your loss, only to say that our love and prayers are with you constantly. Your strength and the strength of your babies has been an inspiration to us all. God has welcomed little Cooper into His loving arms. May He continue to give you strength and comfort.
Love, Jane Coldiron
My sorrow to you, it has to be the hardest of times, hold onto one another. Your baby now has open eyes looking into the arms of an angel in his new home above. How lucky that angel holding him is.
Cooper will be the Guardian Angel of Carson. You will see it, and feel it in your lives ahead.
Bless the 3 of you.
Aunt Nancy
We were so very sorry to learn that Cooper has not survived. Surely both of you and the doctors, hospitals, and staffs did everything possible for your wonderful baby. Your courage and compassion come through so clearly in your blog. We know you are and will continue to be the best of parents.
Our hearts join yours in your time of grief. We will be with you in spirit at your service for Cooper.
Love to both of you and Carson,
Aunt Suzanne and Uncle Lawrence
Words always come so hard at a time like this. Please know that our thoughts and prayers are with you and Carson. We really believe that Carson now has an extra set of wings and halo looking out for him from Heaven and making sure that his brother becomes stronger and stronger.
"The guardian angels of life sometimes fly so high as to be beyond
our sight, but they are always looking down upon us."
-Jean Paul Richter
God had special plans for Cooper; though it is hard for us to understand. May you someday find comfort and peace, knowing that is is safe with God.
We will continue to pray that Carson comes home soon.
And Cooper will always have a special place in our hearts. What a fighter!
Love,
Uncle Mike & Lisa
Danielle Light
We cannot even begin to know the pain you must feel at this time. We have been following your blog to keep up with all of you. We are so sadden by your loss. We will keep you in our prayers.
Love,
Bryan, Wendy, and Zebediah
Jenny Button Lankford
That little angel just couldn't fight it.
You are in my prayers and always in my thoughts. Along with many many others.
Surround that little Carson with all your love and help make him as strong as an ox.
Love,
Stephanie
We are deeply sadden to hear of your loss. The strength and courage your family has shown is inspiration to us all. Please know you are continuously in our thoughts and prayers.
Tiffany and Laura
Mandy and I were so sad to hear the news about Cooper. No doubt he was as full of joy & spirit as his parents.
We will continue to keep you both, and Carson in our thoughts & prayers. God bless.
John & Mandy Schmidt
-Ben & Andi
I have thought of you so often throughout your early months of pregnancy, the birth of the boys, and now during this time of grief that comes with the loss of Cooper. I want to share with you a poem that was given to me when I lost my mom. I hope it brings you a little bit of peace. I continue to pray for you, Andrew, and little Carson.
Much love-
Delaney Mims
"The Cord"
We are connected,
My child and I, by
An invisible cord
Not seen by the eye.
It's not like the cord
That connects us 'til birth
This cord can't be seen
By any on Earth.
This cord does its work
Right from the start.
It binds us together
Attached to my heart.
I know that it's there
Though no one can see
The invisible cord
From my child to me.
The strength of this cord
Is hard to describe.
It can't be destroyed
It can't be denied.
It's stronger than any cord
Man could create
It withstands the test
Can hold any weight.
And though you are gone,
Though you're not here with me,
The cord is still there
But no one can see.
It pulls at my heart
I am bruised...I am sore,
But this cord is my lifeline
As never before.
I am thankful that God
Connects us this way
A mother and child
Death can't take it away!
Author Unknown
We were so saddened to hear of Cooper's passing. Parker and Evan were patiently waiting to hear that your little guy had made it through his surgery and was on his way back to his brother's side. We have all been pulling for both boys since their birth.
We send our sympathy and continue to keep you all in our prayers.
The Ensing family
May you find strength and love today and always. As you count your blessings, remember that God does have a perfect plan for everyone of His children. You are in our prayers.
I know that there are no words that can truly comfort you during this time, but I just wanted you to know that we continue to think and pray for you and your family each night. I am so glad that both of you and Carson were able to be with little Cooper as he went home. He is such a fighter and I know he knew just how loved he was by his wonderful parents. Carson and you both will always have a beautiful angel smiling down on you.
Love,
Kristen and Hank McCord
I don't know what to say other than we're thinking of you all. I so wish I'd had the chance to meet Cooper, he was such a cute little guy.
I'm so sorry.
Love,
Leah and Paul
"Oh My Goodness! How humbled I feel and how grateful for our healthy and so so happy girl! At first I just wanted to cry at the hopelessness of the whole situation for the Hess family but now I'm so numb I don't think I could shed a tear if MY life depended upon it! I would have loved to have posted a message on their blog but somehow, I feel as though it would be an intrusion of their privacy, especially at this time as they grieve for one of their sons and continue to help their other son fight his battles.
Lauren writes so freely - and where does she find the time to write at all! She and Andrew must be so strong to be getting through each day and again, to be so conflicted - wanting on one hand to break down with the unfairness of the whole situation, wondering 'why us', coming to grips with Cooper passing away and yet, somehow, somewhere finding the strength to keep going, for Carson's sake if nothing else. AMAZING!
I have feelings of 'why me' at the fact that we had to have a casearan - What am I thinking!!!???!!! We know NOTHING of having a baby fight every minute to stay alive - Stella came out nearly 10lbs and has never looked back! How grateful I feel now. Perhaps that is one of the many reasons Cooper came into this world - to serve as a reminder for people (all over the world) to be grateful for what we have and to remind us to not take ANYTHING for granted. Bless him. And bless Carson as he continues his battle.
I am now going to go and watch over my darling baby as she sleeps so peacefully. And should she wake in the middle of the night as she did last night, I shall consider the 20 minutes I'll be up feeding her an added bonus and an extra 'cuddle-time' that she and I would otherwise have missed out on.
May Cooper's send off from this life be a memorable one."
I am so sorry to hear about your loss. Emily & I will be thinking about and praying for you both. Our best,
John David & Emily Kolter
Amy
We do not know each other, but I have been thinking about your family often since I received an email link to your blog. I found myself sheading secret tears at my work cubicle after reading your blog. Some sad tears, but mostly happy tears due in large part to your constant strength and admirable courage. You and your family will continue to stay in my thoughts and prayers.
God Bless you all, Laura Anne Smith