We recently built a beautiful bridge at Coyote Hill Foster Care Ministries – Micah’s Bridge. We would like to tell you about the special boy it’s named after and his family.
Hannah and Cameron Boote have been supporters of Coyote Hill Foster Care Ministries for many years. Hannah’s parents, David and Susan Capron, are also longtime supporters, and friends of Larry McDaniel.
“Growing up, I remember going out there and attending the Pancake Breakfast every year,” Hannah said.
When Hannah and Cameron lost their son, Micah, they, alongside Hannah’s parents, decided to honor his life with a project at Coyote Hill Foster Care Ministries. Before we tell you about the project, let’s go back to 2018.
In early 2018, Hannah and Cameron found out they were expecting their second child. They already had a daughter, Naomi, who was just one year old at the time. Hannah said they were surprised to find out they were pregnant, but excited. They began to prepare for life with two littles.
At their 20 week ultrasound, doctors noticed some of the baby’s organs and body parts weren’t growing on track. They did additional blood work and scans.
At around 24 weeks pregnant, Hannah and Cameron received a diagnosis for their baby of Trisomy 13. This occurs when a person has an extra 13th chromosome. The condition can cause severe intellectual disabilities and physical challenges. Most babies born with Trisomy 13 do not live past their first week of life.
“It was hard to wrap my mind around because I felt normal,” Hannah said. “I could feel him moving still. It felt exactly like my first pregnancy and it was hard to come to grips with the fact that this wasn’t actually normal.”
Hannah and Cameron spent the next few months leading up to their son’s arrival just cherishing each moment. Some Trisomy 13 babies do not make it to birth or pass away during labor, so they prayed and hoped as time went by.
On October 29, Micah Lynn Boote was born, and by a miracle, he took his first breaths on his own. Hannah and Cameron welcomed family into the hospital room to spend as much time with him as possible.
“We held him,” Hannah said. “I don’t think I slept. Having our family there and holding him, praying over him. Just being happy together as he was with us, it’s hard to describe.”
On October 30, just 18 hours after he was born, Micah passed away.
Losing a child is an unfathomable experience, one you never wish to go through. Hannah and Cameron experienced horrible grief, but at the same time, great hope. Hannah said despite the pain, she felt a peace that surpassed all understanding in losing her son.
Hannah and Cameron hoped in creating a place to honor their son that others would feel that peace.
“We were talking to Larry about different projects that could be done,” Cameron said. “He mentioned a bridge because kids want to be able to fish off the beach and the hooks get stuck in the sand. The bridge will be a place they can go fish. Fishing is something we would have liked to do with Micah as he grew up, so this seemed like a really good fit.”
Building the bridge took longer than expected. The vision was cast in 2019, but it wasn’t until early 2021 we were finally able to begin construction.
