For one family, this year’s Super Bowl is a reminder of the lasting power of love — and a chance to help other parents devastated by pregnancy loss.
Heather Glennon’s son Travis died in utero just before his birth, when she was 38 weeks pregnant. After that tragedy, she had multiple miscarriages. Now, the St. Louis family raises money for pregnancy loss support with a fundraiser that honors Travis and his namesake, Kansas City tight end Travis Kelce.
Heather's pregnancy was totally normal, with no complications. He would be a little brother to their son Jameson, now 8, and the final puzzle piece for their family. Around the time they were brainstorming names, they happened to be watching football, and her husband Sam, a lifelong Kansas City Chiefs fan, yelled at the television to Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, “Go Travis, go Travis, go!”
Then Sam turned to Heather and said, “Do you like that name for a boy?”
Heather tilted her head to the side and thought. “Yes. Yes, I do!” she replied.
From then on, Jameson's little brother's name was Travis.
The morning Travis was born, Heather had a bad feeling because she hadn’t felt any movement for hours. Reluctantly, she called her doctor.
“It was one of those things where I felt like I didn’t want to go, because I didn’t want to know what the outcome was, but I kind of felt like I knew,” Heather tells TODAY.com.
Her premonition was right. Travis had died due to an umbilical cord accident. There was no heartbeat, no way to save him. She labored and gave birth to her son, and said goodbye in the hospital.
After Travis’s death, Heather and Sam started attending support groups through Share, the national pregnancy and infant loss support organization. Heather remembers they went around the room and everyone told their story, and then the group leader would ask questions — she doesn’t necessarily remember what was said, but she remembers how it made her feel.
“At times there were a lot of blank stares and silence, and more of a feeling and sense of knowing everyone in the room had the same heartbreak you did,” she says. Talking about their loss helped, Heather said. “I have met some great people that share the same tragedy, through a club no one wishes to ever be a part of, but we are thankful for those friendships.”
Heather and Sam Glennon have since adopted a baby named Benjamin, who is now 2 years old. They say Travis will always be part of their family.
As they grieved together, Heather and Sam thought about how they could remember Travis and possibly make something good come out of their tragedy. Their thoughts turned to his name inspiration, and Touchdowns for Travis was born.
People can contribute in different ways to the fundraiser. They can give a lump sum, or they can pledge a certain amount for every time any NFL tight end scores a touchdown. Touchdowns for Travis gives grieving families something they can cherish: A physical reminder of the child they lost.
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After his death, Heather had a wooden heart made with Travis’s name engraved on it. A professional photographer herself, she includes the heart in photos taken on special moments like visits to Santa or family vacations.
“It gives me a sense of letting others know that we did have another kid,” she said. “To me, it’s a big deal.”
Heather and Sam also make it possible for families with child loss to get their own wooden hearts, via Touchdowns For Travis. Through a partnership with woodworking classes at Sullivan High School and Pacific High School in Missouri, families receive a heart with their late child’s name and date of birth. The items are made from pieces of scrap wood cut into a heart-shape and no two are the same. Each time someone purchases a heart, the organization donates one heart to a grieving family. To date, the family has made nearly 60 hearts.
This Sunday, the Glennons will be watching as the Chiefs face off against the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl. And they know that, as always, Travis is with them.
To learn more about Touchdowns For Travis, click here.
To donate to Share Pregnancy and Infant Loss, click here.
For pregnancy and infant loss support, click here.
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