UTAH COUNTY, Utah, Nov. 23, 2018 (Gephardt Daily) — Two years minus one day after the accident that led to 3-year-old Elsie Mahe’s death, parents Sunny and Reno have welcomed a new baby boy, Lucky.
Elsie choked by a blind cord on Nov. 22, 2016, and it was several days before doctors determined she would not recover. As she passed away on Nov. 27, her parents donated her organs, and made survival possible for several other children.
The story made worldwide headlines, and drew attention to the strong religious faith of the Mahes — Reno, then a Brigham Young University football coach and former star player, and Sunny, a former BYU volleyball athlete.
Sunny wrote Friday about Wednesday’s birth of baby Lucky Cielo Mahe, who was born one day short of the two years anniversary of Elsie’s tragic accident.
“I had the distinct thought that this was Elsie’s plan all along,” she wrote. “She wanted to keep her brother with her until the exact anniversary of her accident, November 22. But modern medicine stepped in to foil that plot. I was given Pitocin through an IV to induce contractions. Unmediated labor with induced contractions is not the same as natural labor.”
The contractions were long and difficult, Sunny wrote, “and I wasn’t sure that they were even progressing the labor. After 3 1/2 hours of this I was ready to give in and asked for an epidural. But this, too, was not to be. As soon as I sat up in the bed to receive the epidural, I said, ‘Nope, he’s coming now.'”
But nurses told her not to push since her doctor had not yet arrived. When he did, the delivery took one push, Sunny said.
Sunny said that on Wednesday, family members took turns “babysitting me and keeping me company at the hospital. But for a couple hours in the evening, I found myself alone and took the time to finally consider the second anniversary of the hardest day of my life, the day of Elsie’s accident.”
Sunny said her mother felt Elsie’s spiritual presence during the labor and, “especially at a certain point during the delivery, and how Elsie had brought him all the way here. And although I know it was unavoidable, it made me feel so selfish that I had missed that moment. She was here and I missed it.
“I wondered how many other special experiences I have missed out on by being too focused on my own pain? Was Elsie disappointed that I hadn’t taken that time to consider her? Was she sad that he was born just an hour shy of the anniversary date? With how preoccupied I have been on preparing for and escaping my own death after the birth of her brother, did it feel like I was choosing her siblings over her?
“I went to sleep with so many mixed emotions, but awoke from a beautiful happy dream with peace, hope and happiness in my heart.”
Lucky’s middle name is the a Spanish word for heaven, his mother wrote, “adding, “his initials will be LC, paying small tribute to our guardian angel Elsie.”
Sunny quoted scriptures from The Book of Mormon, which The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints claims as a modern scripture. She quoted from The Book of Helaman, choosing a passage to support her belief that difficult things that happen are all part of the Lord’s plan. To read her full post, click here.
“I miss you every day, Elsie. Two years closer,” she wrote, seeming to reference seeing her little girl again in the afterlife.
“Thank you for all you have taught me. Thank you for continuing to teach me and watch over our family. Thank you for bringing Lucky safely to us. Thank you for the privilege of being your mother. I love you baby.”
I’m so happy for them. Love will lead their way.